What are the dangers of Asbestos Exposure

Industry's adoption of asbestos began during the 19th century and slowly increased until the second world was when it's use rose dramatically. Asbestos fibres being found in the environment forced the Consumer Product and Safety Commission to issue laws controlling the use of asbestos.

The EPA issued additional laws governing the ways in which asbestos could be used during the 1980's. Despite all the attention asbestos has received over the years there are a surprising number of people who have no idea how harmful the fibre can be to humans.

Asbestos fibre occurs naturally as fibre bundles and it was these that were mined to create asbestos used in industry. The reason why asbestos was so widely adopted by industry was because of the heat and chemical properties it possessed. The special properties of asbestos found many uses in manufacturing and construction.

Stage curtains, caulk, joint compound as well as less obvious uses such as crayons are just some of the uses for asbestos. If a building was built in or before the 1980's then you should assume that it contains asbestos as it's use was wide spread in the construction industry right up until it was banned. Industry can still use asbestos but only if it can be proven that it is not possible for the asbestos to come into contact with people or the environment.

Current medical technology is unable to treat all of the possible effects of asbestos fibres on humans. One of the best-known asbestos diseases is asbestosis, often called asbestos lung, which leads to shortness of breath and lung damage.

Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that is caused by asbestos; it forms around the protective lining of the bodys major organs. Pleural mesothelioma is a cancer that affects the lining of the lungs, pericardial mesothelioma affects the heart.

The health hazards of using asbestos although well known now have only been around since the 1970's. The term Mesothelioma was not used in medical literature until 1931, and was not associated with asbestos until sometime in the 1940s.

The use of asbestos has declined due to the level of litigation that has taken place by its victims once the link between asbestos and the diseases it caused had been established. If legal safety standards are followed then, even though the dangers of asbestos are known it is still legal for industry to use it.

The author of this web articles has written many other articles about asbestos. If you are interested you can find links to some of their other work below.

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