What Is Asbestos And How Is It Used?

Asbestos has been associated with various fatal diseases including malignant mesothelioma and asbestosis. The mineral itself has been used for many centuries because of its unique properties. What is asbestos, how is it used, and why was its use so widespread? Read this article and you will get the answers to these questions.

Asbestos minerals are silicate compounds that naturally occur in the environment. The asbestos minerals are bundles of fibers. The fibers can be separated into very durable, thin threads.

Because asbestos fibers are resistant to fire, heat, and chemicals, and because they do not conduct electricity, asbestos has been widely used in many industries throughout the years.

The fibers themselves are divided into two groups: amphibole asbestos and serpentine asbestos.

The straight, needle sharp fibers that are part of the amphibole group are more brittle and consequently have not been used as much in fabricating products. However, the long curly serpentine asbestos fibers are easily woven and have consequently been used widely in various commercial applications.

Since the late 1800s asbestos has been mined and commercially used in the United States and Canada. Following the Second World War its use dramatically increased, mostly in the building and construction industries.

Asbestos has been used to strengthen plastics and cements. It's been used for fireproofing, insulation, sound absorption, and roofing. Ship builders have used asbestos to insulate steam pipes, boilers, and hot water pipes. The auto industry still uses asbestos in clutch pads and brake shoes.

In addition, asbestos was widely used in floor tiles, ceiling tiles, paints, adhesives, and coatings. And some crayons that have talc and gardening products that have vermiculite have asbestos in them as well.

The CPSC (U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission) started to ban the use of asbestos in a number of applications in the late 1970s. And, although the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) has banned all new uses of asbestos as of 1989, any uses that were developed prior to 1989 are still permitted.

Although asbestos is still being used, its use has declined. In 1973 approximately 803,000 metric tons of asbestos was used by industry. By 2005 about 2,400 metric tons of asbestos was being used in the United States.

People may have been and still may be exposed to asbestos in their homes, communities, and workplace. If products that contain asbestos are disturbed then asbestos particles and fibers become airborne.

If these particles are inhaled they could get trapped in a person's lungs and ultimately they may be the cause of various fatal diseases. Over the course of time the fibers cause inflammation and scarring. This often affects a person's breathing and leads to very serious health problems.


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To find out more about asbestos exposure and its consequences go to http://www.asbestos.net/exposure

Wendy Moyer on behalf of Sokolove Law.