Asbestos-Truth

Industry's adoption of asbestos began during the 19th century and slowly increased until the second world was when it's use rose dramatically. Asbestos fibres being found in the environment forced the Consumer Product and Safety Commission to issue laws controlling the use of asbestos.

The EPA felt that more control was required over the use of asbestos in the 1980's as it issued it's own laws controlling how and where asbestos was used by industry. Most people today in the 21's century are aware of how harmful asbestos is to them if they are exposed to it and breath in the fibres. The message that asbestos is dangerous has been instilled in most people and they are aware that they should not inhale asbestos fibres.

Asbestos occurs naturally as a mineral that is mined and processed into asbestos. There are few products that have the same fire and chemical resistance that asbestos possesses. Adoption of the use of asbestos was wide spread in many industries eager make use of it's special properties.

Asbestos has been banned from being used in auto parts such as brake pads, brake shoes and clutch plates. The banning of the use of asbestos put pained to it's use in the construction industry but up until this time it was widely used for joint compound, sound proofing an well as wall and ceiling tiles. As long as the fibers are encased and contained, with little chance of exposure under normal conditions, all of these uses are legal.

Exposure to asbestos can be fatal as there are several possible asbestos related ailments, which are incurable. Asbestosis is probably the most common asbestos related disease, it is often seen as a severe shortness of breath caused by the lining of the lings becoming inflamed by the asbestos fibres.

Shortness of breath, cough, and pain in the chest due to an accumulation of fluid in the pleural space are often symptoms of another asbestos related ailment called mesothelioma. The two most common forms are pleural mesothelioma, which affects the lining around the lungs, and pericardial mesothelioma, which affects the lining around the heart.

The health hazards of using asbestos although well known now have only been around since the 1970's. In the late 1970s court documents proved that asbestos industry officials knew of the dangers of asbestos exposure and tried to conceal them.

As asbestos litigation becomes more common, the use of this substance has, in most applications, declined. In 1989 the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued the Asbestos Ban and Phase Out Rule, which was overturned in 1991.

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.