Skip to main content
. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2013 Dec 16.
Published in final edited form as: Clin Chest Med. 2011 Dec;32(4):10.1016/j.ccm.2011.09.001. doi: 10.1016/j.ccm.2011.09.001

Fig. 17.

Fig. 17

Asbestos use and permissible exposure limits in the United States from 1900 to 2007. The amount of asbestos use, in thousands of metric tons, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration permissible asbestos exposure limits in the United States during 1900–2007 are shown. Asbestos use increased from 1000 metric tons in 1900 to a peak of 803,000 metric tons in 1973, then decreased to approximately 1700 metric tons in 2007. Permissible asbestos exposure limits were 12 fibers per cubic centimeter (f/cc) in 1971, 5 f/cc in 1972, 2 f/cc in 1976, 0.2 f/cc in 1986, and 0.1 f/cc in 1994. Arrows indicate year when the Occupational Safety and Health Administration permissible exposure limits were put in place. (Adapted from Bang KM, Mazurek JM, Storey E, et al. Malignant mesothelioma mortality—United States, 1999–2005. MMWR 2009;58(15):393–6.)