Health

Asbestos Dust – How Much Is Really Burnt?

Asbestos was used in a variety of products including ceiling tiles, fire doors and floor tiles. It was widely used before the widespread introduction of asbestos-containing materials in products such as building materials, paints, varnishes and glues. The use of asbestos was noted in the late twentieth century and it was widely used in the 1960’s. However, it was discovered to be dangerous for human beings after a massive exposure to asbestos fibers in a variety of products. This discovery prompted the ban of its use and more stringent legislation was introduced.

Asbestosis or lung disease is one of the most common diseases resulting from the inhalation of asbestos fibers. Asbestosis can result from various types of asbestos exposure such as occupational exposure, household exposure and vehicle-borne exposure. Asbestosis is generally caused by airborne particles that contain microscopic asbestos-containing minerals such as chrysotile and tremolite. There are six classes, all of which consist of thin and long fibers of these minerals, each fiber being comprised of numerous microscopic “fibers” which can be inhaled by humans. There is no evidence that any type of asbestos-containing material caused the health effects of asbestosis or lung disease to those exposed to it.

Asbestos fibers are particularly hazardous to human life because they can easily become trapped in our lungs, leading to a condition called asbestosis. Once inhaled, the fibers travel through the air circulation system and enter the respiratory system. They then lodge in the alveoli (the final link in the respiratory system), preventing the nutrients and oxygen from entering the lungs. Because of this hindrance to the respiratory system, the lungs become overburdened and cannot perform as efficiently as it should, leading to shortness of breath, coughing and decreased lung function. Asbestosis also results in the development of lung cancer.

In the early 1980s, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) realized the serious health consequences of the asbestos industry’s dangerous disregard of the health risks of their product. This major federal agency was charged with protecting the public from the dangers of asbestos exposure, particularly the elderly who were more susceptible to the risk of asbestos fibers being inhaled into their lungs. The EPA began applying strong regulations to protect the public from exposure to asbestos, beginning with the Mine Safety Act. These regulations banned the use of asbestos in any connection with asbestos products. However, the restrictions of the EPA laws only directly affected the manufacturing phase of asbestos products and did not apply to the sales or service phase.

In response to the ill effects of Asbestos in the manufacturing phase of the industry, the EPA began drafting amendments to the existing Mine Safety Act. The amendments were designed to ban the use of asbestos in any connection with asbestos products in order to protect against any health hazard created by Asbestos in the home. However, the EPA was unable to ban all uses of Asbestos due to the numerous and diverse uses of Asbestos in the home, and there is some debate as to whether or not this law bans Asbestos altogether. The EPA has only banned Asbestos use that creates a ‘unhealthy’ hazard for humans; it has never banned Asbestos use per se. This leaves the door wide open for manufacturers of insulation to continue using Asbestos in their products, with no ill effect being felt by those around them.

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Many laws and ordinances have also been passed in an attempt to control the adverse affects of Asbestos exposure. For example, the use of Asbestos in fireproofing and waterproofing materials such as floor tiles was banned in the 1970s; however, the use of Asbestos was heavily enforced and continued to be used for these purposes. There have been very few laws enacted pertaining to Asbestos exposure since the ban of its use in the 1970s. Because of this, there is still a significant threat posed by Asbestos in the home environment.