Asbestos-Truth

The Second World War was the time when asbestos was used the most by industry since it's introduction in the 19th century. Evidence that asbestos was appearing in the environment was the reason why the Consumer Product and Safety Commission began to legislate on asbestos during the 70's.

During the 1980's the EPA added to the laws issued by the Consumer Product and Safety Commission by passing laws stating that asbestos could not be used for any use which it had not been put to up until that time. 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 is a mineral that occurs naturally in nature in fibre bundles. The reason why asbestos was so widely adopted by industry was because of the heat and chemical properties it possessed. Construction and manufacturing were ready willing and able to put asbestos to work in a wide variety of applications.

Industry thought up many uses for asbestos, including roofing tars, felts, siding, and shingles as well as mud and texture coats. Wall and ceiling tiles, adhesives and joining compounds all contained asbestos and were used by the construction industry up until they were banned. It is legal to use asbestos in ways where it is guaranteed that they cannot come into contact with humans or animals.

Asbestos exposure can be fatal as many of its effects are incurable with current medication. One of the most common diseases resulting from exposure to it is asbestosis, sometimes called asbestos lung, which is a chronic inflammation of the lungs that leads to shortness of breath, coughing, and even permanent lung damage.

Another disease caused by asbestos is a cancer of the lining around the major organs of the body called mesothelioma. Pericardial mesothelioma is a cancer that affects the heart; pleural mesothelioma affects the lining of the lung.

History notes that Greek and roman slaves whose job it was to weave asbestos fibres into cloth often suffered from damaged lungs. In the late 1970s court documents proved that asbestos industry officials knew of the dangers of asbestos exposure and tried to conceal them.

A complete ban on asbestos containing material in Australia was introduced in 1991 although some building materials in storage were still being used in the years that followed. If legal safety standards are followed then, even though the dangers of asbestos are known it is still legal for industry to use it.

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.