What Is Asbestos?
Asbestos is a mineral fiber found in rocks, of naturally occurring silicate minerals that can be separated into fibers. There are several kinds of asbestos fibers, all of which are fire resistant and not easily destroyed or degraded by natural processes. The fibers are strong, durable, and resistant to heat and fire. They are also long, thin and flexible, so that they can even be woven into cloth, because of these qualities, asbestos has been used in thousands of consumer, industrial, maritime, automotive, scientific and building products. During the twentieth century, some 30 million tons of asbestos have been used in industrial sites, homes, schools, shipyards and commercial buildings in the United States. There are several types of asbestos fibers, of which three have been used for commercial applications:
- Chrysotile, or white asbestos, comes mainly from Canada, and has been very widely used in the US. It is white-gray in color and found in serpentine rock.
- Amosite, or brown asbestos, comes from southern Africa.
- Crocidolite, or blue asbestos, comes from southern Africa and Australia.
Is Asbestos Dangerous?
Asbestos has been shown to cause cancer of the lung and stomach according to studies of workers and others exposed to asbestos. There is no level of exposure to asbestos fibers that experts can assure is completely safe. Some asbestos materials can break into small fibers which can float in the air and these fibers can be inhaled. The tiny fibers are so small they can not be seen with the naked eye. They can pass through the filters of normal vacuum cleaners and get back into the air. Once inhaled, asbestos fibers can become lodged in tissue for a long time. After many years cancer or mesothelioma can develop.
Are All products With Asbestos A Health Risk?
No. A health risk exists only when asbestos fibers are released from the material or product. Soft, easily crumbled asbestos containing material has the greatest potential for asbestos release and therefore has the greatest potential to create health risks.
Do All People Exposed To Asbestos, Develop Asbestos Related Disease?
No. Most people exposed to small amounts of asbestos do not develop any related health problems. Health studies of asbestos workers and others, however, show that the chances of developing some serious illnesses, included lung cancer, are greater after exposure to asbestos.
What Are Asbestos-Containing Products?
What is common to many asbestos-containing products is that they were (are) used to contain heat (i.e. thermal insulation.) This was the main reason for their use. It is impossible to list all of the products that have, at one time or another, contained asbestos. One of the most common products asbestos is found in, is in the insulation material found on heating pipes and ducts of homes built before 1960.
Some of the other common asbestos-containing products are insulating cement, insulating block, asbestos cloth, gaskets, packing materials, thermal seals, refractory and boiler insulation materials, transite board, asbestos cement pipe, fireproofing spray, joint compound, vinyl floor tile, ceiling tile, mastics, adhesives, coatings, acoustical textures, duct & pipe insulation for heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, roofing products, insulated electrical wire and panels, and brake and clutch assemblies.
How Can I tell If I Have Asbestos In My Home?
People who have frequently worked with asbestos (such as plumbers, building contractors or heating contractors) often are able to make a reasonable judgment about whether or not a material contains asbestos on a visual inspection. Many professional home inspectors also can make a reasonable visual judgment. To be absolutely certain, an industrial hygienist would have to make the identification.
If Asbestos Is Found In My Home, What Should I Do?
In most cases, asbestos containing materials are best left alone. When it is necessary to disturb asbestos, you should contact a licensed asbestos contractor. You can also obtain a copy of Asbestos in the Home published by the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission (800-638-2772) which discusses the situation and makes recommendations. Remember, do not dust, sweep, or vacuum particles suspected of containing asbestos fibers.
Asbestos Poisoning
Asbestos poisoning is a risk to humans when an asbestos-containing material breaks down or is somehow disturbed. When asbestos deteriorates or is otherwise disturbed, its microscopic-size fibers are released into the air, where they can remain suspended for hours to days. The poisoning can happen to anyone in the area who breathes in these fibers.
Inhaling Asbestos Fibers
A single human hair is about 1200 times thicker than an asbestos fiber. When there is a tremendous amount of asbestos fibers in the air, they might be noticeable as a cloud of dust, but plenty of asbestos poisoning can be present with no visible presence. Many people have inhaled asbestos fibers (sometimes on a daily basis for years) without even knowing it. Life threatening Cancer Diseases from Asbestos Poisoning Asbestos poisoning can result in a multitude of serious, even fatal, conditions, including:
- Asbestosis ─ scarring of lung tissue that severely hinders breathing; can be fatal
- Lung cancers ─ small-cell and non-small-cell lung cancer
- Mesothelioma cancer ─ cancer of the mesothelium or pericardium, tissues inside the chest cavity
- Pulmonary hypertension
- Immune system damage
- Other types of respiratory and digestive damage
Asbestos Poisoning Symptoms
The asbestos poisoning symptoms usually don't appear until years after the asbestos fibers are inhaled. It's generally 10 to 40 years later that the victims of asbestos poisoning start exhibiting symptoms such as (but not limited to):
- A mass in the abdomen
- Abdominal pain or swelling
- Chest wall pain / pain under the rib cage
- Coughing
- Fatigue, anemia
- Hoarseness, wheezing
- Pleural effusion (fluid around a lung)
- Shortness of breath
- Weight loss
By the time the asbestos poisoning symptoms become apparent, the damage has already been done. If you are experiencing symptoms of asbestos cancer, seek medical attention immediately, and contact mesothelioma treatment centers for information about helpful resources.
The Risk of Asbestos Cancer Exposure in Homes
The risk of asbestos cancer exposure in homes across the United States is very real and is of great concern to public health officials. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has described the risk of asbestos exposure in homes, including asbestos in products such as:
- Attic insulation
- Wall insulation
- Plumbing/pipe insulation
- Asbestos in cement, bricks, and stucco
- Boilers and furnaces with asbestos components
- Flooring that contains asbestos
- Ceiling tiles
- Household products and appliances
Years of Asbestos Cancer Exposure
Asbestos in homes that has not been disturbed is not thought to be actively dangerous. The danger is when the asbestos is moved or when it deteriorates — these circumstances may cause the release of asbestos fibers into the air, where they can be inhaled by people and pets living in a house. Years (even decades) spent living with asbestos exposure in one's home can result in serious and even life-threatening diseases caused by the asbestos. It's imperative that homeowners and renters understand the risks they face from asbestos in the home environment. Millions of homes were built in the U.S. in the decades when asbestos was thought to be a "miracle material," known for its fire- and heat-resistant properties. Asbestos is extremely durable and very versatile: it can be formed into sheets, used as an ingredient with other materials, woven into textiles, and even sprayed onto surfaces. It wasn't until the late 1970s that homebuilders started to cut back on the use of asbestos materials.
Asbestos Vermiculite Attic Insulation
A particularly bad example of the risk of asbestos cancer in homes is vermiculite, a mineral that can be contaminated with asbestos. Vermiculite was provided as a loose filling material, and it was easy to pour into the spaces between the floor joists of an attic. It was often left exposed. |
