The History Of Asbestos In Household And Transportation Products

Asbestos is a mineral fiber that was used for several decades in various products for the purposes of insulation and fireproofing. Until as recent as the late 1970's, asbestos was used in many household products such as insulation, drywall compound, textured paint, pipe and furnace duct insulation, shingles, siding, millboard, and flooring adhesive. In addition, asbestos was used for its insulation value in the shipping and automobile industries. Though the use of asbestos for these products was banned many years ago, and any product manufactured today containing the mineral must be clearly marked, many older houses still have products inside them that contain asbestos. Unfortunately, asbestos has no characteristics by which it can be positively determined without the use of a specialized microscope, and must be sampled and tested by a professional.

Asbestos In Your Home

Asbestos is only harmful when fibers become airborne and can be breathed into the lungs. If there are any products in your home that you know to contain asbestos, and they are not open to breathing space, it is best to leave them alone. Historically, asbestos exposure in the home has come from homeowners removing, remodeling, and handling asbestos products.

There are several reported cases of wives and children of asbestos workers contracting asbestos-related diseases. Asbestos fibers were carried home on the clothing of many men returning from shipyards, asbestos mines, and other asbestos filled work environments. When these fibers where disrupted from the clothing they would become airborne and were breathed in and swallowed by family members.

Asbestos In The Workplace

The profession with the highest risk of asbestos contact today is construction. Workers who are remodeling and repairing old homes can come in to contact with airborne fibers as they tear down walls, siding, old pipes, or old insulation. Because the diseases associated with asbestos have such a long latency period, between 20 and 50 years or more, there are a number of professions and trades who's workers are at risk of asbestos related diseases, even though their contact with it happened decades ago.

• Auto mechanics
• Masons
• Carpenters
• Firefighters
• Shipyard workers
• Mine workers
• Servicemen
• Construction
• Insulation workers
• Teachers
• Gas station attendants
• Textile workers
• Merchant marines
• Members of the Navy

Risks of Asbestos Exposure

There are many health risks associated with asbestos exposure including mesothelioma, asbestosis, lung cancer, and other lung diseases. Though asbestos exposure is the only known cause for mesothelioma and asbestosis, smoking increases your chances of contracting these diseases by up to 50% or more. Smoking alone does not cause these diseases. The longer you go without smoking, the more you reduce your risks.

Because the diseases associated with asbestos lay dormant for 20-50 years and longer in some cases, symptoms of these diseases do not show up until decades after original exposure. Most asbestos use in insulation and fireproofing products stopped in the 1970's in America. Diseases caused by asbestos exposure appear to be at a peak, with an estimated 10,000 American dying annually from related diseases. Diseases can occur in people with as little as one or two months exposure, although the longer and more intense the exposure, the more likely you are to contract diseases and cancer.

The Hidden Facts Of Asbestos Dangers

Manufacturers of asbestos products were aware of the dangers of asbestos as early as the nineteenth century and choose to continue producing asbestos products. In fact, several companies in the 1920's and 30's joined together to fund scientific research to prove that asbestos was safe. Researchers, however, came back with a different conclusion. They warned that asbestos was highly toxic and caused respiratory diseases and cancer in lab animals. In reaction to this, asbestos companies decided to cover-up the evidence. Funding for research was stopped and lab reports and literature were edited and altered. Asbestos mining and production continued unchecked until the 1970's when many products were finally banned and regulations were put on manufacturing such products.

Few asbestos products are still made in America today, but such products must be clearly labeled.