This page will help you understand asbestos: what it is, its health effects, where it is in your home, and what to do about it.
On this page:
Next Steps, on other pages on EHSO:
Asbestos Do's And Don'ts For The Homeowner
Asbestos Professionals: Who Are They And What Can They Do?
includes:
If You Hire A Professional Asbestos Inspector
Selecting a laboratory to analyze the samples
If You Hire A Corrective-Action Contractor
Mesothelioma: Facts and Resources - symptoms, treatment, etc.
Related Books:
Interesting reading: Fatal Deception: How Big Business is Still Killing Us with Asbestos Michael Bowker; Hardcover; Book Description: Journalist Bowker's riveting, anecdotal look at the damage done by mining and manufacturing companies who denied the harmful effects of asbestos might have been titled "Evil Incorporated." Focusing largely on a vermiculite mine in bucolic Libby, Montana, during the Depression, silicosis, an industrial lung disease, emerged as a national social crisis. Experts estimated that hundreds of thousands of workers were at risk of disease, disability, and death by inhaling silica in mines, foundries, and quarries.
Raising Children Toxic Free: How to Keep Your Child Safe
from Lead Asbestos, Pesticides, and Other Environmental Hazards
Herbert
L. Needleman; Hardcover
Even if asbestos is in your home, this is usually not a serious problem. The mere presence of asbestos in a home or a building is not hazardous. The danger is that asbestos materials may become damaged over time. Damaged asbestos may release asbestos fibers and become a health hazard.
THE BEST THING TO DO WITH ASBESTOS MATERIAL IN GOOD CONDITION IS TO LEAVE IT ALONE! Disturbing it may create a health hazard where none existed before. Read this booklet before you have any asbestos material inspected, removed, or repaired.
Asbestos is the name we use to describe a group of natural mineral fibers that are known for their strength and fire-resistant properties. Asbestos has been used in thermal insulation and fire proofing for the construction industry, and in brake and clutch linings for the automotive industry. Although asbestos fibers come in blue, brown, and green colors, most asbestos used in the United States is white asbestos, and is called chrysotile.
Some asbestos fibers are so small that a microscope is necessary to see them. These small fibers can be floating in the air, and we can breath them deeply into our lungs, where they can become lodged. Inhaling asbestos fibers increases the chances of developing lung cancer, mesothelioma (a cancer of the lining of the body cavities), and asbestos, which cause shortness of breath and coughing.
In sum, asbestos is a group of mineral fibers that can be dangerous to human health when microscopic fibers are inhaled into the deep recesses of the lungs.
Asbestos fibers can have serious effects on your health if inhaled. There is no
known safe exposure to asbestos. The greater the exposure, the greater the risk
of developing an asbestos-related disease.
The amount of time between exposure to asbestos and the first signs of disease
can be as much as 30 years. It is known that smokers exposed to asbestos have a
much greater chance of developing lung cancer than just from smoking alone.
From studies of people who were exposed to asbestos in factories and
shipyards, we know that breathing high levels of asbestos fibers can lead to an
increased risk of:
The risk of lung cancer and mesothelioma increases with the number of fibers inhaled. The risk of lung cancer from inhaling asbestos fibers is also greater if you smoke. People who get asbestosis have usually been exposed to high levels of asbestos for a long time. The symptoms of these diseases do not usually appear until about 20 to 30 years after the first exposure to asbestos.
Most people exposed to small amounts of asbestos, as we all are in our daily lives, do not develop these health problems. However, if disturbed, asbestos material may release asbestos fibers, which can be inhaled into the lungs. The fibers can remain there for a long time, increasing the risk of disease. Asbestos material that would crumble easily if handled, or that has been sawed, scraped, or sanded into a powder, is more likely to create a health hazard.
For more information of mesothelioma, click here for the MesotheliomaInformation Center
For more information on asbestos in other consumer products, call the CPSC Hotline or write to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington, DC 20207. The CPSC Hotline has information on certain appliances and products, such as the brands and models of hair dryers that contain asbestos. Call CPSC at 1-800-638-CPSC. A teletypewriter (TTY) for the hearing impaired is available at 1-800-638-8270. The Maryland TTY number is 1-800-492-8104.
To find out whether your state has a training and certification program for asbestos removal contractors, and for information on EPA's asbestos programs, call the EPA at 202-554-1404.
This page is based on information from: American Lung Association, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. For more information on asbestos identification and control activities, contact the Asbestos Coordinator in the EPA Regional Office for your region, or your state or local health department.
Prepared By the American Lung Association,(The Christmas Seal People),
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), and
The Environmental Protection Agency and this presentation by
Environmental Health & Safety Online, Inc.
Ways to save money AND help the environment:
Eat healthier AND save money: Instant Pot Duo Crisp 11-in-1 Air Fryer and Electric Pressure Cooker Combo with Multicooker Lids that Fries, Steams, Slow Cooks, Sautés, Dehydrates
Save water AND money with this showerhead adapter, it lets the water flow until the water is hot, then shuts off water flow until you restart it, ShowerStart TSV Hot Water Standby Adapter
Protect your health with these:
Mattress Dust mite-Bedbug protector, 100% Waterproof, Hypoallergenic, Zippered
Handheld Allergen Vacuum Cleaner with UV Sanitizing and Heating for Allergies and Pet, Kills Mite, Virus, Molds, True HEPA with Powerful Suction removes Hair, Dander, Pollen, Dust,
Immune Support Supplement with Quercetin, Vitamin C, Zinc, Vitamin D3
GermGuardian Air Purifier with UV-C Light and HEPA 13 Filter, Removes 99.97% of Pollutants
5 Stage Air Purifier, Features Ultraviolet Light (UVC), H13 True Hepa, Carbon, PCO, Smart Wifi, Auto Mode, Quiet, Removes 99.97% of Particles, Smoke, Mold, Pet Dander, Dust, Odors
Interesting Reads:
THE PREPPER'S CANNING & PRESERVING BIBLE: [13 in 1] Your Path to Food Self-Sufficiency. Canning, Dehydrating, Fermenting, Pickling & More, Plus The Food Preservation Calendar for a Sustainable Pantry
The Backyard Homestead: Produce all the food you need on just a quarter acre! Paperback
The Citizens' Guide to Geologic Hazards: A Guide to Understanding Geologic Hazards Including Asbestos, Radon, Swelling Soils, Earthquakes, Volcanoes
The Uninhabitable Earth: Life After Warming
Book: The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History Paperback