At Asbestos Authority, we want to educate anyone who is curious about asbestos and its negative effects on health. You or a loved one may have some experience with asbestos and need help finding more information about diseases caused by asbestos and further action you can take to seek treatment. We hope you will look around and read about asbestos, its dangers, diseases and other related information. To start, below is an overview of asbestos and a few frequently asked asbestos questions.

Asbestos

Asbestos refers to a number of natural minerals that have high tensile strength. They are able to be woven and are resistant to heat. Because of this, they have been used in a number of different manufacturing materials. These include, but are not limited to, roof shingles, ceiling/floor tiles, paper and cement, textiles and auto parts. There are a number of other sources of asbestos that have been used for the last 300 or so years in manufacturing.

The following are the substances that are referred to as “asbestos”:

  • Chrysotile (serpentine)
  • Crocidolite (riebeckite)
  • Amosite (cummingtonite/grunerite)
  • Anthophyllite
  • Tremolite
  • Actinolite
This list may not mean much to you, but we provide it in case you are curious. What’s really important to most people are the effects asbestos can have on health. There are different possible side effects, including life threatening cancers.

 

What are the Health Effects of Asbestos? 

When you have been exposed to asbestos in the past, the biggest effect on your health is an increase in lung cancer susceptibility. This risk worsens if you are a smoker or have been exposed to second-hand smoke for a long period of time. The length of time you have been exposed to asbestos is proportional to the risk for development of lung cancer. The longer you were exposed, the higher your risk of cancer. The best advice for a person who thinks they may have had any exposure to asbestos is to consult with a physician. It may be smart to consult with a lung cancer specialist, which is called a pulmonologist.

How Does Asbestos Hurts the Lungs?

Asbestos can be floating in the air, which is then breathed into the lungs. When this happens, the fibers can be trapped in the lung, which will lie dormant for a long time (many years, sometimes). The more airborne asbestos, the more that fills the lungs. As time passes, these fibers may cause serious conditions. Again, smokers are at increased risk since smoking adds stress on lung tissue. The two stresses together can sometimes cause serious lung disease.

What are the Conditions Associated with Asbestos Exposure?

There are three main conditions that have been shown associated with asbestos:

  1. Asbestosis - This is a serious long-term disease of the lungs. It is non-cancerous, but this doesn’t mean it isn’t dangerous and serious. The fibers of asbestos are trapped in the lungs. These fibers block the passage of oxygen to the lung tissue, which limits the passage of oxygen to the blood. This leads to symptoms such as shortness of breath. In addition, a patient may experience some crackling sounds as air goes in and out of the lungs. Unfortunately, there is no treatment for asbestosis.
  2. Lung Cancer – As previously mentioned, lung cancer is related to asbestos exposure. In fact, it represents the largest number of deaths associated with asbestos. When compared to the general population, people who have worked with and been exposed to asbestos have a higher incidence of lung cancer. Symptoms of lung cancer associated with asbestos exposure include shortness of breath, chest pain, anemia and others. To distinguish between different conditions associated with asbestos, it is important to contact your physician.
  3. Mesothelioma – This is a rare form of cancer that almost always is associated with asbestos exposure. This cancer is found in the thin membrane (lining) of the lung, abdomen, chest, and heart. There is a long latency period for mesothelioma, which means it can take years to be detected.

Where Can You Find Asbestos? 

Asbestos fibers are found in many items still used today, since they are both strong and resistant to heat. Most are related to construction, fire-proofing, flooring and roofing. The EPA has listed the following as items containing asbestos:

  • asbestos-cement shingle
  • asbestos-cement corrugated sheet
  • roofing felt
  • transmission components
  • brake blocks
  • mill board
  • asbestos cement pipe
  • pipeline wrap
  • vinyl/asbestos floor tile
  • drum brake linings
  • commercial, corrugated and specialty paper
  • flooring felt
  • non-room foatings
  • disc brake pads
  • sheet and beater-add gaskets (not specialty industrial)
  • asbestos-cement flat sheet
  • roof coatings
  • asbestos clothing
  • clutch facings
  • asbestos friction products
  • rollboard

What if I have asbestos in my home?

If you feel you may have asbestos in your home, it may be best to hire a professional asbestos inspector, who will sample and test some of the suspect material. Sometimes, it is best to leave asbestos in the home if the structures containing it is in good condition and exposure isn’t at a dangerous level.  If you do have asbestos material that becomes unraveled, try to avoid touching or disturbing it. Make sure to keep pets and children away. A lot of times this situation doesn’t require removal. If an asbestos professional can enclose it safely, removal wouldn’t be necessary. In the end, it is best to consult a professional when you are unsure of your asbestos situation.