At some point in our lives nearly all of us have been exposed to asbestos in the air we breathe and the water we drink from natural deposits in the earth and from the deterioration of asbestos products around us. All told more than products contained asbestos. Most of us however do not become ill as a result of our exposure. Asbestos was used commercially in north america as early as the late s but its use increased dramatically during the world war ii era when shipyards produced massive numbers of ships for the war effort. See our page on mesothelioma risk factors. Although awareness of the dangers of asbestos and public concern over the issue have led to a decline in domestic consumption over the years a total ban on asbestos has not come to fruition.