Banning Asbestos May Have Had Unforeseen Consequencs.

During the 1960s and '70s, when the World Trade Center towers were under construction, scientists concluded that construction workers and others exposed to high levels of asbestos fibers could possibly develop cancer. Asbestos, an effective component in fire-proofing materials, was used to insulate the steel beams of a building to help keep them from melting. As the September 18th New York Times pointed out, "anticipating a ban, the builders [of the World Trade Center] stopped using the materials by the time they reached the 40th floor of the north tower, the first one to go up." Scientists are now questioning whether the substituted materials were as effective as asbestos. As the Times continued, although scientists do not believe asbestos could have averted the collapse of the twin towers, "some wonder whether asbestos insulation might have kept the towers intact long enough for more people to have escaped." The September 11th tragedy has prompted a review of fireproofing materials and testing procedures.