Asbestos is a wonder material that has one huge drawback - it is toxic to humans and causes a host of health problems including cancer. In this article, we take a look at the dangers of asbestos and why it was used in a variety of industries.
To get a grasp of asbestos, one has to first understand why anyone would possible use it? The substance is a naturally occurring form of a number of materials. The asbestos form constitutes small crystalline fiber structures that are tiny. These structures have long been viewed as wonder materials because they are extremely fire resistant and can insulate electrical wires without being compromised. If you have a material that doesn't burn, wouldn't you use it in building materials and insulation? The answer was yes in many industries.
So, what is the problem with asbestos? Well, the problem is found in the fact the fibers are so tiny that they can become airborne. When this occurs, people have a tendency to breathe them into the lungs. There, the fibers become embedded. Over time, they penetrate into the lung and pleura fibers in the internal body cavity. They can cause everything from chronic inflammation of the lungs that make breathing hard to lung cancer and Mesothelioma. The really difficult thing to accept is the fact there can be a span of up to 40 years between inhalation of the fibers and the onset of the medical conditions.
The dangers of asbestos slowly came to the forefront through numerous lawsuits in the 1960s and 1970s. The government eventually stepped in and started banning many uses of the materials. In 1989, the EPA banned all new uses of asbestos, but allowed previously established uses to continue. This means that you can find asbestos in products like vermiculite used in your yard as well as brake shoes and clutches on cars. Most people don't realize as much.
Asbestos is both a wonder material and major health risk. There are a host of non-toxic products that can be used instead of asbestos, so avoid it at all costs.
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