Asbestos

Asbestos is a naturally-occurring mineral with some very special physical properties.  Asbestos is made up of bundles of thin flexible fibers, which are highly resistant to heat and chemicals.

Asbestos fibers are very strong, have low electrical conductivity and are flexible enough to be woven.  These properties made asbestos extremely useful in a wide range of products and applications.  Asbestos was used in an incredible variety of products to provide heat, electrical and sound insulation, as an inexpensive binder, for protection against acids and as filter media.

Historical use of asbestos reaches back to at least ancient Greece and probably much earlier, but most of it was used in the last century.  By the 1950s and 60s, asbestos was in extremely widespread use.  At the peak of asbestos use in the United States, there were literally thousands of asbestos products.

Asbestos fibers were woven into various textiles for fireproofing and insulation. It was combined with other material such as cement, plastics and resins as a binder or filler material to add strength, thermal protection and electrical resistance.  Many gaskets and packing material contained asbestos, especially for use in high pressure or temperature pumps and valves.  Asbestos was used in most major industries including shipyards, power plants, oil refineries, steel mills, automobile factories, railroads, airplane manufacturing, paper mills, foundries, etc.

Health Hazards of Asbestos

Unfortunately, asbestos is also very hazardous to human health.  Asbestos is a potent carcinogen and the hazards of asbestos are well established.  All types of asbestos fibers can easily be separated and become airborne.  The extremely small size and shape of asbestos fibers means that they can be easily inhaled into the lungs.  Once inside the body, the fibers persist for a long time causing damage that may worsen over time.  Eventually, exposure to asbestos can cause mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis, and other diseases.

Lower exposure limits and increased regulation to asbestos have reduced the risks of developing asbestos-related diseases.  However, many people were exposed before these rules were enacted and there is no known safe level of exposure to asbestos.  Symptoms of illness may not appear until decades after the initial exposure.

Natural deposits of asbestos are found all over the world, and asbestos is still commercially mined in Canada, Russia, China and South Africa.  There are several types of asbestos, but the three most important are crocidolite, amosite and chrysotile. Depending on who you ask, there are various technical definitions of asbestos.

Despite the hazards of asbestos, it is still in use today in many parts of the world.  While asbestos was phased out of most products in the United States by the late 1980s, it has never been banned here.  If you think you may have been exposed to asbestos, you may be at heightened risk for mesothelioma and should consult your primary care physician.