Asbestos

Asbestos is a heat-resistant, strong, and highly flexible mineral. It was widely used as a key ingredient in various types of construction materials and cloth. However, research has found that asbestos is carcinogenic. 

Exposure to airborne asbestos fibers, no matter how small, is a severe health risk. It can cause diseases and cancers, including asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma.

What is Asbestos?

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral fiber found in rock and soil. The two types of minerals that form asbestos are known as serpentines and amphiboles. 

These categories are based on the physical and chemical properties of the fibers. The asbestos fibers include serpentine chrysotile (white asbestos) and the five amphiboles.

• Serpentine: Serpentine asbestos fibers are curved, long, and flexible. Due to these properties, serpentine threads can be woven together. The only member of this group of asbestos is chrysotile, also known as ‘white asbestos.’ At the same time, asbestos is the most common type of asbestos used in manufacturing.
• Amphibole: Amphibole fibers are rigid and straight. They are often brittle and either needle or rod-shaped. Because of this rigidity, they’re not as commercially versatile as serpentine. 

There are five subtypes of amphibole asbestos:

• Actinolite asbestos
• Amosite asbestos (brown asbestos)
• Anthophyllite asbestos
• Crocidolite asbestos (blue asbestos)
• Tremolite asbestos

How was Asbestos Used?

Asbestos was mined for its heat resistance and fiber strength, especially white asbestos. These two properties made it the material choice for insulation, especially in the mid-to-late-1900s.

Before 1990, asbestos was the go-to material for home and building insulation against cold weather and noise. It was also the top material used for fireproofing.

It was used very frequently by industrial, commercial, and construction sectors. Some of the many applications included:

• Building materials, including roofing materials, sealant, ceiling, floor tiles, felt and paper products, specific asbestos cement, and plasters
• Common filler in resins, plastics, caulking, and asphalt road surfacing
• Asbestos textiles (fabrics)
• Heat, electrical, and sound insulation or wrappings
• Friction materials used in automobiles (clutch pads, brake linings, and transmission)
• Packing materials, gaskets, linings, and coatings
• Reinforcement of plastic products, thermosets, and thermoplastic resins
• Fire and heat protection wear such as gloves, coats/jackets, headgear, and boots
• Factory furnaces and heating systems
• Insulation for hot and cold areas

What does asbestos insulation look like?

Modern homes no longer use asbestos. Yet, older homes still use asbestos as pipe insulation, roof shingles, and flooring adhesives. The most common place where asbestos is used is in the attic and the house’s walls for insulation. And it often comes in the form of vermiculite asbestos insulation.

Vermiculite insulation has a pebble-like appearance. It is often either grayish-brown or silvery-gold in color. It is also very lightweight and resembles stone.

What does asbestos flooring look like?

If you suspect your floor tiles contain asbestos, check for the following indicators:

• Floor tile age: If your house was constructed between the 1950s and 1980s, there is a good chance your flooring may contain asbestos.
• Tile size: Asbestos asphalt, vinyl asbestos, and plastic asbestos came in 9″x 9″, 12″ x 12″, and, in some years, 18″ x 18″ sizes.
• Discoloration: Oily discoloration of your tiles may be an indicator of asbestos.
• The adhesive used is thick and black: This black adhesive is asphalt-based and contains asbestos.

If you suspect that your floor tiles have asbestos, contact a professional to have them tested.

Friable vs Non-Friable Asbestos

Friable asbestos means when asbestos is dry, it may be crumbled or pulverized. It can also be reduced to powder by simply crushing it with your hands. This asbestos powder is a danger to asbestos workers.

Non-friable asbestos is the type of asbestos that cannot be crumbled, pulverized, or crushed by hand pressure when dry. Non-friable asbestos may become friable due to degradation caused by time, chemical exposure, or other external factors such as fire damage.

Asbestos is also resistant to biological breakdown. It also does not evaporate or even dissolve in water. 

These properties make it highly unreactive to most chemicals. These qualities are beneficial. Yet, plenty of evidence shows that asbestos is also carcinogenic and can cause respiratory tissue damage.

What is the most dangerous type of asbestos?

All types of asbestos can cause lung diseases and lung cancer due to the high toxicity of tiny, microscopic fibers and other asbestos-containing material (ACM) that can be easily swallowed or inhaled.

However, the most dangerous type of asbestos is amphibole and brittle. This form is easily crushed and releases fibers with ease. Additionally, asbestos is smaller and sharper, causing lung tissue damage and asbestos-related diseases easily compared to other types.

Where does asbestos Come from?

Asbestos is mined from metamorphic rocks, or rocks found deep beneath the earth’s surface. A lot of asbestos deposits are located in the western United States. However, the North and South Carolina mountains are also known to be rich in asbestos. This makes these work sites hotbeds for asbestos disease. Some are also found in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. 

Despite the rich sources of asbestos all over the United States, there is currently no production of asbestos locally. Much of the country’s supplies get imported from Canada.

Other countries that export asbestos are Russia, China, and Kazakhstan.

Asbestos Exposure Related Health-Risks

The danger of asbestos exposure lies in how easily you can inhale it. Even if the amount is tiny, the everyday use of asbestos-containing products means anyone could be turning their own body into an asbestos receptacle. If not averted, accumulated asbestos exposure can lead to:

Asbestos Cancers

When it comes to asbestos cancers, the three most common forms are laryngeal cancer, lung cancer, and ovarian cancer.

Ovarian cancer happens when products contaminated with asbestos, such as talcum powder, are applied to or near the female genitals. In small “doses,” the toxicity isn’t noticed. With long-term use, however, the risk of cancer becomes much higher.

Asbestosis

A lung disease that occurs when there is scarring in the lungs due to asbestos fiber inhalation. Often, the symptoms of asbestosis appear several years after initial exposure. Some of the symptoms of asbestosis include:

• Shortness of breath
• A dry cough
• Chest tightness or pain
• Loss of appetite and weight loss

Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma refers to a malignant tumor caused by asbestos fiber inhalation that attacks the mesothelium. The mesothelium is a protective membrane that covers the internal organs. 

Similar to asbestosis, mesothelioma symptoms often appear many years after initial exposure. 

However, in some instances of significant exposure, the symptoms may appear sooner. 

There are four primary types of mesothelioma. Their tumor location categorizes the types. They are: pleural (within the lung lining), peritoneal (in the abdomen cavity), pericardial (heart sac), and testicular. 

These are the three major health risks of asbestos exposure. Lesser-known health risks include:

• Pleural effusions: Referred to as water on the lungs, caused by a build-up of excess fluid. This build-up causes pleural thickening.
• Pleural plaques: Lung tissue thickening and is considered an indicator of asbestos exposure. It may take up to 30 years to be diagnosed with this condition.
• COPD: The disease COPD stands for a chronic obtrusive pulmonary disorder. Symptoms include difficulty breathing and are often linked to heavy smoking.

It is worth emphasizing that there is no such thing as a safe level of asbestos exposure. If you suspect that you have been exposed to asbestos, whether yesterday or five years ago seek professional help.

High-Risk Asbestos Occupations

While the United States has phased out asbestos usage, many individuals had past asbestos exposure and are only now displaying asbestos exposure symptoms. These workers are not just those who work directly with asbestos products. They are also those who experience second-hand exposure.

These are the occupations of those exposed to asbestos in their line of work:

• Auto mechanics
• Construction workers
• Electricians
• Drywall installers
• Insulators
• Firefighters
• Shipbuilders
• Mining operations
• Plumbers
• Railroad workers
• Boilermakers
• School employees

Asbestos-Related Products

Some of the most common uses of asbestos involve construction. Here are some of the most common sources of asbestos exposure:

• Asbestos Cement
• Adhesives and coating
• Reinforced plastics
• Vinyl tiles
• Roofing
• Compressed asbestos fiber gaskets (for sealing pipes and other machinery)

How to Handle Asbestos Safely

First, only a certified asbestos professional should handle, remove, and dispose of any asbestos-related product. Mishandling asbestos can lead to toxic asbestos exposure, which can negatively affect your health.

If your states allow the removal of asbestos by yourself, in the absence of professionals, here are some guidelines to follow:

• Turn the air-conditioning off and seal the work area with plastic sheets.
• Wear safety gear, such as a respirator with a HEPA or high-efficiency particulate air filter.
• Only use disposable coveralls, especially gloves.
• Keep asbestos wet by using a sprayer. This will help prevent asbestos dust from being inhaled or spreading elsewhere.
• Clean the area using a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter.
• Dispose of the asbestos inside labeled bags and contact a landfill that accepts asbestos.

Asbestos-Related Manufacturers

There are thousands of known companies for which many people have gotten sick due to asbestos exposure. These companies are in the construction, insulation, heating, shipbuilding, and petroleum industries. These industries are historically known to hire thousands of workers for manual labor purposes.

Some of these companies are listed below:

• A.E.Bartholomew & Company Limited
• A.E.Hadley Limited
• A.E.Rainbird & Son Limited
• British Plywood Manufacturers Limited
• Johns Manville
• W.R. Grace & Co.
• Pittsburgh Corning
• Armstrong World Industries
• British Rail Engineering Limited
• British Rail Maintenance Limited
• British Shipbuilders
• Hotwork Heat Treatment Limited
• Hovey Antwerp Limited
• How Engineering Services Northern Limited
• Moss & Gamble Brothers Limited
• Moveable Dry Wall Construction Limited
• Stuntbrand Line Limited
• Stuntbrand Mail Steamship Company Limited
• Verenko Limited
• Versil Limited
• Vic Hallam Limited

What is the Asbestos Exposure Cover-Up?

Recently, we have received news of people who have filed lawsuits against companies for exposing their workers to asbestos. Yet, these companies have known how dangerous the fibrous mineral is for over a hundred years. Below is a summary of some of the significant stories that developed in the last century.

• In 1900, a doctor in London found asbestos fibers in the lungs of a factory worker who died from severe pulmonary fibrosis at 33. This finding made the doctor connect the death with asbestos exposure.
• In 1918, the Bureau of Labor Statistics realized a growing number of asbestos-worker deaths. It wasn’t until the 1930s that a formal name was given to a disease best described as death due to asbestos exposure: Asbestosis.
• In 1948, a memo from an insulation industry expert warned of the dangers of asbestos insulation, linking it to asbestosis.
• In 1949, another memo included lung cancer as a disease caused by asbestos exposure.
• In 1958, the National Gypsum Co., an asbestos mining company, confirmed that inhaling asbestos causes asbestosis.
• In 1966, a memo from a director at Bendix Corporation (now Honeywell) said if workers had a good life working with asbestos, then there was no problem dying from it.
• In 1978, Babcock and Wilcox confirmed that they were aware of how they were violating OSHA standards when it came to their workers’ exposure to asbestos. Worse, they hid it from their employees.
• In 1984, asbestos companies teamed up and formed a front organization called the Safe Buildings Alliance or SBA. SBA was created to be the group that would take criticism from critics and other industry activists, sparing the names of the actual affected companies from getting into headlines.
• In 2001, Ford Motor Company hired an expert to conduct studies and articles that would make the company appear not to be liable for their workers getting mesothelioma, especially those who worked around brake pads.
• In 2005, Georgia-Pacific, one of the world’s leading producers of building products and chemicals, hired a toxicology expert to downplay the risks of asbestos exposure. The experts did this by publishing articles addressing issues surrounding asbestos litigation in official scientific journals.

Federal Standards for Asbestos Safety

To protect asbestos workers and the public from inhaling asbestos fibers, federal organizations such as OSHA and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have created standards for handling asbestos.

OSHA adopted specific requirements related to asbestos standards, including:

• A permissible exposure limit (PEL) of asbestos fibers, and engineering controls, if necessary.
• The use of appropriate respiratory protection if the asbestos exposure limits are not met.
• Requirements for an initial exposure assessment for specific operations and, in some instances, periodic exposure monitoring.
• Limit access to areas where asbestos concentrations may be dangerously high.
• No smoking, eating, or drinking in asbestos-regulated areas.
• Warning signs and caution labels to identify and communicate the presence of hazards and hazardous materials; recordkeeping; and medical surveillance.

Additionally, the EPA developed its regulations to minimize the release of asbestos called the Asbestos National Emissions Standards for Air Pollutants (Asbestos NESHAP). These regulations help protect the public from asbestos exposure by creating standards for:

• Renovation and demolition of buildings
• Waste disposal and transportation
• Milling, manufacturing, and fabrication of asbestos materials.

Examples of the EPA rules include:

• Requiring a representative onsite who is trained in NESHAP compliance;
• Removing all asbestos-containing materials;
• Wetting all asbestos-containing materials (ACM) and properly sealing and disposing of the ACM in leak-tight containers.

Common Questions about Asbestos