Asbestos-Truth

Commercial exploitation of asbestos started in during the 1800's but increased dramatically during 1939-45. The popularity of asbestos took a sudden dive when laws were passed in the 1970's in the USA that stopped the use of asbestos in certain consumer products.

More laws were passed during the 80's by the EPA controlling how and where asbestos could be used by industry. The danger's that asbestos exposure can have on humans is known by almost all of the population after extensive education campaigns on the back of the laws passed in the 70's and 80's.

Asbestos fibre occurs naturally as fibre bundles and it was these that were mined to create asbestos used in industry. Asbestos has some remarkable properties; it is fire and chemical resistant as well as not conducting electricity. Asbestos with it's wonder characteristics caused it's use in many manufacturing and industrial uses.

Asbestos was used in thermal pipe insulation; fireproof clothing for fire fighters and fire doors. Asbestos can be found in many buildings constructed up until the 1980's as a fire suppressant as well as in use in adhesives. There are legal uses of asbestos, where it can be proven that asbestos will not be able to contaminate the environment then that use is considered legal.

Unfortunately, asbestos exposure can carry significant health risks, some of which are untreatable and incurable at the present time. Inhaling asbestos fibres commonly results in asbestosis, an inflammation of the lungs caused by the asbestos fibres aggravating the lining of the lungs.

Mesothelioma is often reported as a disease resulting from asbestos exposure that is listed in many asbestos litigation cases. Pleural mesothelioma is a cancer that affects the lining of the lungs, pericardial mesothelioma affects the heart.

History notes that Greek and roman slaves whose job it was to weave asbestos fibres into cloth often suffered from damaged lungs. The first diagnosis of asbestosis was made in England in 1924, by the 1930s, England regulated ventilation and made asbestosis a work related disease.

The use of asbestos has declined due to the level of litigation that has taken place by its victims once the link between asbestos and the diseases it caused had been established. It is legal to use asbestos if all of the legal safety guidelines are followed; this is despite the known risks associated with asbestos.

The author of this web articles has written many other articles about asbestos. If you are interested you can find links to some of their other work below.