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Asbestos
Dangers
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Asbestos dangers can come
from many sources. Common asbestos dangers include disease
such as cancer, specifically Mesothelioma, caused by inhalation
of what were once common building materials. Other health
dangers from asbestos exposure also exist.
The dangers of asbestos
inhalation impact those who have breathed in some of the
30 million tons of asbestos used in the construction of
industrial sites, office buildings, schools, shipyards and
homes starting over a century ago.
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In 1935, the American Journal of Cancer published an article
warning about the asbestos dangers and linking this common mineral
used in building materials to cancer.
Besides mesothelioma, one of the most common dangers from asbestos
inhalation is asbestosis, which is the scarring of the lining
of the lungs. The most common symptoms of asbestosis are shortness
of breath, persistent cough and often occurring in distressing
spasms. Other symptoms may include chest pain and tightness, Hemoptysis
and appetite loss.
Mesothelioma itself poses the most significant asbestos danger.
Mesothelioma is cancer of the mesothelium, a protective sac that
covers most of the body's internal organs. It is reported that
70 percent to 80 percent of those who contract Mesothelioma have
a history of asbestos exposure at work. Approximately 3,000 new
cases of Mesothelioma are diagnosed in the United States each
year, though of late, many high-profile mesothelioma
lawsuits have been going to court. In fact, right now, Congress
has before it several bills asking to limit the damages that can
be assessed due to asbestos-related Mesothelioma. Checking with
an asbestos lawyer about the
current federal and state laws is advised for those considering
a lawsuit.
Even though it is not current news, one of the largest asbestos
dangers remains to mechanics who service and repair brakes and
clutches and risk heavy exposure to asbestos dust. Even though
precautions are usually taken, asbestos dust can remain on a mechanic's
clothing and be brought home inconspicuously to other members
of the mechanic's family.
While many assume that asbestos has been banned from all manufacturing,
this simply is not true. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
and the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) have enacted
an "Asbestos Ban and Phaseout Rule" on some specific
uses for asbestos such as corrugated paper, commercial paper and
"new uses" for asbestos, but a ban from using asbestos
is far from evident.
The asbestos dangers from commercial uses come in the asbestos
fibers themselves. The three most dangerous types of asbestos
fibers are:
- Chrysotile, or white asbestos, which is white-gray in color
and found in serpentine rock.
- Amosite or brown asbestos.
- Crocidolite or blue asbestos.
Amosite and Crocidolite are especially dangerous since they have
extremely small, needle-like fibers that can get logged in the
lung indefinitely and promote scarring and many times, eventually
asbestosis or malignant mesothelioma. It can take 30 - 50 years
for asbestos-related diseases to appear so even though one has
not been recently exposed, past events and exposure can play heavily
in current medical conditions. Mesothelioma
treatment usually focuses on extending a persons life rather
than delivering a cure since those who are diagnosed are usually
done so in the later stages of the disease process.
For more information on asbestos dangers and how to identify
potential problem areas if you have an older home, see the
CPSC website
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