What are the dangers of Asbestos Exposure

War during 1939-1945 was the driving force for the sudden and vast increase in the use of asbestos. 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. Most people today in the 21's century are aware of how harmful asbestos is to them if they are exposed to it and breath in the fibres. The message that asbestos is dangerous has been instilled in most people and they are aware that they should not inhale asbestos fibres.

Asbestos is a mineral that occurs naturally in nature in fibre bundles. Asbestos fibers are resistant to heat, fire and chemicals, and they do not conduct electricity. Adoption of the use of asbestos was wide spread in many industries eager make use of it's special properties.

Industry thought up many uses for asbestos, including roofing tars, felts, siding, and shingles as well as mud and texture coats. The banning of the use of asbestos put pained to it's use in the construction industry but up until this time it was widely used for joint compound, sound proofing an well as wall and ceiling tiles. As long as it can be ensured that the asbestos fibres are unable to become exposed to the environment, then their use is legal.

Asbestos exposure is taken very serious, as some of the diseases associated with asbestos are untreatable. Inhaling asbestos fibres commonly results in asbestosis, an inflammation of the lungs caused by the asbestos fibres aggravating the lining of the lungs.

Another source of asbestos litigation is for mesothelioma, which is a cancer that develops in the protective lining of the body's major organs. Symptoms of mesothelioma include weight loss and abdominal swelling and pain due to ascites (a build-up of fluid in the abdominal cavity).

It is only in the last 3 decades that it has become apparent the effects on peoples health that asbestos causes. Asbestos disease can take several decades after the initial exposure to finally appear in the victim; it is for this reason that it took medical professions many years to establish the link between asbestos and the diseases that it is responsible for.

Production of asbestos in Japan peaked in 1974 and went through ups and downs until about 1990, when production began to drop severely after is was proven that asbestos was dangerous to human health. In 1989 the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued the Asbestos Ban and Phase Out Rule, which was overturned in 1991.

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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