Table of Contents
What is Asbestos?
Asbestos is the name given to six minerals with long, thin fibers found in rocks and soil, defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Asbestos has been used in hundreds of products, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The mineral has been used in a wide range of manufactured goods, building materials (roofing shingles, siding, ceiling and floor tiles, paper products, and asbestos cement products), friction products (automobile clutch, brake, and transmission parts), heat-resistant fabrics, packaging, gaskets, and coatings. It was used in machinery such as pumps and valves, and it was used in laboratories.
Types of Asbestos
Chrysotile
Found around the world, chrysotile comes from serpentinite rocks. It’s known as white asbestos and is found in 95 percent of the products made with asbestos in the U.S., according to Authenticated U.S. Government Information. It’s most often found in outbuildings, warehouses, and garages.
Amphibole
The other 5 percent of asbestos is amphibole asbestos and includes the fibrous forms of actinolite, tremolite, anthophyllite, amosite (grunerite), and crocidolite (riebeckite). These fibers are straight and needle-like.
Because of its ability to be woven into fabric, the National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme states it has been found in:
| Brake pads and clutch plate |
| Building products |
| Laboratory products |
| Gaskets and packing |
During installation, repair, replacement, or demolition, asbestos fibers can become airborne. It may also be released into water through erosion of natural deposits or, corrosion from asbestos pipes, or roofing materials containing asbestos that go into the sewer. Asbestos fibers are especially dangerous when disturbed and become airborne. When the fibers are inhaled, they become permanently lodged in the lungs and other organs, sometimes for decades, before causing health problems. There is NO safe level of asbestos. Even small amounts of asbestos fiber and infrequent exposure create a risk for developing a serious illness.
Major health effects associated with asbestos exposure include: mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer found in the thin lining of the lung, abdomen and heart; lung cancer; and asbestosis, a chronic, non-cancerous disease of the lungs.
How Asbestos Exposure Occurs
The most common occupations with asbestos exposure include:
| Plumbers and Pipefitters | Aircraft Mechanics |
| Electricians | Navy Yard Workers |
| Boilermakers | Merchant Marine Seamen |
| Carpenters, Welders, and Painters | Engineers |
| Mechanics | Navy Veterans |
| Firefighters |
Secondhand exposure to asbestos is also possible — fibers can be carried from workers’ clothing, skin, or hair to the home and then inhaled by others in the household.
Why was Asbestos used?
Asbestos was widely used in many products and building materials during much of the 20th century. Asbestos is still not completely banned in the U.S. Thirty-three million houses and businesses in the U.S. contain asbestos, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates. Most people who develop malignant mesothelioma were exposed to asbestos on the job or during military service. Some were exposed in their own homes. Families of workers who were exposed to asbestos in the workplace are also at risk. Asbestos fibers often cling to the clothing and hair of workers, then fell off at home, exposing family members to the risk of acquiring this terrible cancer.
* Renovation and demolition projects can disturb the asbestos.
* There is no safe level of exposure.
Veterans and Exposure during the Service
Asbestos was widely used in equipment on Navy ships, Army tanks, and Air Force aircrafts. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are nearly 22 million veterans in the United States. Thousands of these veterans are suffering from different asbestos-related diseases, including asbestos cancer and asbestosis, caused by exposure while serving the military.
U.S., statistics show military veterans account for over one-third of the 3000 malignant mesothelioma cases reported annually in the United States. The disease has a long incubation period — as long as 15 to 60 years. Many veterans over the age of 60 are now showing symptoms of asbestos cancer, despite having finished their military service in the Army, Navy, Air Force or Marines decades ago.
How Can I Identify Asbestos?
How can I avoid it?
If you’re not sure if something is asbestos, assume it is until verified otherwise, suggests OregonState.edu. If at work, report asbestos as soon as possible to the health and safety representative or your employer. Now, OSHA can provide more information or make an inspection to determine if there is asbestos and if it poses a risk. This may involve testing the air for asbestos levels.
| Drill | Damage |
| Hammer | Move |
| Cut | Disturb |
| Saw | Attempt to remove or sample yourself |
| Break |
If you find any form of asbestos has been dislodged, this needs to be cleaned up immediately by asbestos abatement workers. Hire a qualified contractor to perform this job to avoid contaminating your home further or causing any exposure to your family or to the workers.
Asbestos is identified with a specified microscope, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. If you think a material contains asbestos, have it sampled by a qualified professional. Professionals have federal government training or certification courses. Some states have consulting agencies, individual consultants and inspectors to conduct an asbestos survey in public buildings, with contractors who remove asbestos. State and local health departments or EPA regional offices may have listings of licensed professionals in each area.
Should I Repair and Remove It?
If asbestos is found, the two types of corrections are containment or removal, which should be done by professionals.
Containment usually involves sealing or covering the material, states the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Removal should be considered as the option for most situations. This is recommended when containment is not an option. It’s complex and can only be done by a professional because improper removal increases the risk of fiber release.
An asbestos professional should be accredited by the Environmental Protection Agency to handle asbestos. There are two types of accreditations: inspectors and contractors.
Asbestos inspectors can assess conditions, take samples of questionable material for testing, and suggest what corrections should be made in a home or building. If asbestos is contained or removed, inspectors can make sure proper procedures are followed, including clean up, and can inspect the air for asbestos fibers.
Asbestos contractors can safely contain or remove asbestos-containing materials. Federal law does not require asbestos contractors working in detached single-family homes to be trained and accredited, but some state and local laws do require accreditation. To ensure safety, it is recommended that homeowners work with qualified asbestos contractors.
1. Check the inspector or contractor’s credentials carefully.
Although some states and localities require asbestos inspectors and contractors in detached single-family homes to be trained and accredited, federal law does not. For safety, homeowners should require proof that workers are trained and accredited. Each worker in your home should provide proof of training and licensing.
2. Avoid conflicts of interest.
The inspector should not be connected with an asbestos-correction firm, suggests the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Two unaffiliated firms ensure there is no conflict of interest.
3. Ask for references from previous clients.
Contact those clients, and find out if they were satisfied. The CPSC warns that there have been reports of firms incorrectly claiming asbestos materials in homes must be replaced that wastes homeowner’s money.
4. Ask whether the professional has handled similar situations.
Firms have encouraged improper methods, states the CPSC, risking the health of the homeowners and their family.
5. Ask if the firm has had any safety violations.
Check with your local environmental expert, the local agency responsible for worker safety, and the Better Business Bureau. Find out if there are legal actions filed against it.
6. Get cost estimates from several professionals; costs can vary.
7. Get a written contract that should specify the
- Work plan
- Cleanup
- Applicable federal, state, and local regulations which the contractor must follow (such as notification requirements and asbestos disposal procedures)
The inspection should include a complete visual examination and collection of lab analysis of samples.
The inspector should describe the location and extent of damage in a written evaluation and recommend correction or prevention. The inspector may recommend and perform checks after the work to ensure the area has been properly cleaned.
Asbestos contractors and workers must use proper equipment such as wearing approved respirators, gloves, and other protective clothing.
Find out what the regulations are from your state and local health departments, EPA’s regional office, or the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s regional office. Be sure the contractor follows local asbestos removal and disposal laws.
- The contractor should clearly mark the hazard area and seal it from the rest of the house and also turn off the heating and air conditioning system.
- Household members and pets should not enter the area until work is completed.
- Assure the contractor cleans the area well with wet mops, wet rags, sponges, or HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) vacuum cleaners. Get written assurance that all procedures have been followed. Air monitoring may be necessary to assure that the contractor’s job is done properly.
Simply put, don’t do anything. Do not disturb any asbestos by:
- Dusting
- Sweeping
- Vacuuming
State and local health departments or EPA regional offices have the most up-to-date listings of accredited professionals in New York.
What Should I do if I Was Exposed?
Not everyone who is exposed to asbestos gets an asbestos-related disease.
If you think you were exposed, schedule an appointment with your doctor, suggests Cancer.org. Some doctors recommend regular chest x-rays or CT scans and lung function tests. These tests don’t detect asbestos fibers but can detect early signs of lung disease caused by asbestos.
Ask him if you should get regular health checkups. Look for doctors experienced with asbestos-related diseases.
Health Effects of Asbestos Around The World
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), asbestos causes approximately half of all deaths from occupational cancer. More than 125 million people worldwide have been exposed to asbestos in the workplace. In addition, WHO reports more than 107,000 people die each year from asbestos-related lung cancer, mesothelioma and asbestosis resulting from occupational exposure.
