This documentary's title seems almost flippant given the stark reality of its subject matter: the near-omnipresence of asbestos in our lives, and the lethal diseases it causes in people, including a form of cancer called mesothelioma. Filmmakers Conor Lewis and Zack Johnson, cousins, set off on bicycles for a 4,200-mile trip from Astoria, Oregon to New York City to talk with a number of people about their experiences with or expertise in asbestos, a fibrous product used for insulation in homes, skyscrapers and rocket ships alike. The cousins' impetus for the strenuous mission is the death of their grandmother from mesothelioma; she was married to a professional insulator exposed to asbestos dust every day of his working life. What Lewis and Johnson find is the stuff of nightmares. Exposure to asbestos is essentially inevitable for anyone, anywhere and at any age, and it is in everything from home bathrooms to support beams on skyscrapers (it's sprayed on) to schools, work sites, etc. Equally bad is how hard it is to get rid of the stuff. While there are methods for safe removal, a lot of asbestos dust ends up in contaminated sites that, as Lewis and Johnson, are not always prohibited from development of commercial properties. In the end, the bike trip has been rendered an unnecessary stunt, but the information unearthed is critical. Strongly recommended. Aud: E, I, J, H, C, P. (T. Keogh)
Dirty Laundry
Star Ratings
As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
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