|
Asbestos
Information
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: (1) 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. (2) Amosite, or brown asbestos, comes from
southern Africa. (3) 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.
|