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Asbestos - From Miracle Mineral To Mesothelioma Menace
During World War II Asbestos was hailed by many as a miracle
mineral. Almost anything could be built or manufactured from
this mineral. The building and construction industries used it
as an additive to strengthen cement and plastics....
Frequently Asked Questions about Mesothelioma
Many people have never heard of Mesothelioma and are unaware of its symptoms. Although considered a rare form of cancer, each year the number of cases grows. With the prevalence of this disease on the rise, it is critical to understand why and how...
Pleural mesothelioma
Pleural mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer. This cancer affects the pleural sac that surrounds the lungs and is caused by exposure to asbestos. The pleural sac contains the lungs and also a small membrane called the mesothelium. The mesothelium...
The Asbestos Survey: An Unavoidable Need
Now that the health hazards associated with asbestos have become a matter of common public knowledge, the necessity of conducting asbestos survey has become unquestionable. Industry owners who knowingly used the carcinogenic substance have been...
The Facts about Pleural Mesothelioma
Pleural mesothelioma is the most common form of mesothelioma by far and accounts for 75% of all mesothelioma cases. Pleural mesothelioma affects the respiratory areas of the body such as the lungs. More specifically, the cancer attacks the lining of...
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Asbestos - From Miracle Mineral To Mesothelioma Menace
During World War II Asbestos was hailed by many as a miracle
mineral. Almost anything could be built or manufactured from
this mineral. The building and construction industries used it
as an additive to strengthen cement and plastics. Asbestos
fibers can be separated into thin threads which do not conduct
electricity and are not affected by heat or chemicals.
The four main types of asbestos are: Amosite with brown fibers,
Anthophyllite with gray fibers, white Christie, and blue
Crocidolite. Chrysotile has curly fibers while the other three
have rod like fibers. These fibers break into dust quite easily
and drift in the air. They can stick on skin, clothing, and can
easily be swallowed or inhaled.
Use of asbestos skyrocketed during World War II. Shipbuilding
used asbestos extensively in freighters and support vessels to
insulate boilers, steam pipes and hot water pipes. Asbestos
became the miracle construction material as it was easily
obtained, processed, and transported.
After WWII cars used asbestos in break shoes and clutch pads.
Asbestos found its way into residential and industrial building
materials, water supply, sewage materials, ceiling and floor
tiles, and vermiculite garden materials to name a few products.
In the 1970's the U.S Consumer Product Safety Commission banned
the use of asbestos in several products that could release
asbestos fibers into the environment during use, following the
discoveries of the health dangers of asbestos dust inhalation.
Regulations governing the use of asbestos and concern of public
opinion since 1970 have created a significant drop in the use of
asbestos in the United States.
In 1989 all new uses of asbestos were banned by the
Environmental Protection Agency while any old uses before that
year were still permitted. The EPA suggested that schools
inspect for damaged asbestos and eliminate any exposure or
enclose it in protective barriers. Vermiculite, widely used in
horticulture, became a concern of the EPA that recommended
outdoor use, limiting the amount of dust
used, and keeping
vermiculite damp.
Asbestos may create serious health hazards such as coughing,
lung damage, shortness of breath, and lung cancer. Most people
do not become sick in the early stages of development, but
usually need continued exposure, often on jobs such as mining,
milling, manufacturing asbestos products, and building
construction. Firemen, demolition workers, drywall removers, and
any other workers in trades that involve destruction of
buildings, ships, and automobiles are also exposed to the
hazards and risks of asbestos.
Over a period of years continual exposure to asbestos can cause
very serious health problems, such as mesothelioma. Mesothelioma
is a rare type of carcinoma of the membrane that lines numerous
cavities of the body, including the lungs, abdomen and heart,
and has been associated with exposure to asbestos dust. In
mesothelioma, the cells of the mesothelioma metastasize and
damage adjacent organs and tissues.
Risk of developing mesothelioma takes a long period of time,
often as long as twenty-five or thirty-five years before full
blown symptoms appear. Not all workers who have been exposed
will develop diseases caused by asbestos, but workers who have
been exposed to it may bring fibers on their clothing, hair,
shoes, and skin home to their families. To circumvent this risk,
most industries require workers to bathe and change their
clothing before they leave work.
Many studies have been conducted involving the risks of diseases
caused by exposure to asbestos. The results of one such study
involving the risks of smoking and exposure to asbestos proved
extremely hazardous.
For further information on asbestos, such as risks, research,
lawsuits and disease support groups visit:
http://www.asbestos-h
eadquarters.com
About the author:
Grant Davis, is a freelance writer and has worked in a variety
of fields, including teaching. Feel free to use the above
article as long as it is reprinted in its entirety.
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