What Is Asbestos and How Can It Be Avoided?
Jan 08
While products containing asbestos are not harmful in and of themselves, microscopic particles found in these materials can become a serious health hazard when airborne. The tiny, durable asbestos particles get lodged in lung tissue and cause scarring that results in asbestosis, a disease which inhibits breathing. In many cases, lung cancer will eventually develop. People with prolonged exposure to asbestos are largely at risk, but any exposure can be severe. Studies have also shown that smokers are more likely to develop cancer as a result of their exposure to the particles.
While the use of asbestos has been banned in many products, including an impending ban in automotive brakes for 2014, hazardous materials can still be found in numerous applications including roofing, textured paint, and insulation containing vermiculite. The best way for a person to protect against asbestos inhalation is to become educated on the different types of materials that may be hazardous, then learn whether or not their living space was constructed using any of those products. If so, breaking, handling, or setting fire to these materials will greatly increase risk of exposure, and should be avoided.
Sources:
http://www2.epa.gov/asbestos/learn-about-asbestos#asbestos
https://www.osha.gov/OshDoc/data_AsbestosFacts/asbestos-factsheet.pdf
http://www.mesothelioma.com/asbestos-cancer/what-is-asbestos.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asbestos
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/asbestosis/DS00482