Considering the period when it was built, the USS Yorktown (CV-5) is one of the vessels that contained asbestos in their components like valves, turbines, pumps, or even the electrical component. Also, the engine and boiler rooms, due to their poor ventilation, contained the highest concentration of asbestos, which, once inhaled, caused severe problems in the lung area. The ship was commissioned in 1937, measured 824 feet in length, and carried over 2,100 men on board and 90 aircraft. It was built in Newport News, Virginia, with the hull number CV-5 and was in active service for 5 years before being sunk in 1942.
There is no evidence that a safe threshold exists to prevent the adverse health effects of the use of asbestos. Harmful effects following inhalation or ingestion of asbestos have not been clearly documented. The signs of asbestos-related pulmonary diseases include scarring in the lungs, interstitial lung abnormalities, and diffuse pleural thickening that can be detected by chest X-rays.
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