This number however does not take into consideration events such as the world trade center disaster on september when millions of new yorkers were potentially exposed to air filled with carcinogenic asbestos particles. When the latency period for asbestos disease is factored in cases of mesothelioma will continue to be diagnosed for years to come. Although it is suggested that the number of mesothelioma cases in the u. Finally in the late s the consumer products safety commission banned the use of asbestos in wallboard patching compounds and artificial ash for gas fireplaces because the fiber could easily be released during use. See our page on mesothelioma risk factors. More commonly those who at some point are diagnosed with asbestos disease have worked in jobs where more substantial exposure occurred over longer periods of time.