Asbestos Data & Information

Asbestos can cause serious health problems, know the facts.

Asbestos Fibers

11 April 2007

Asbestos Defined - Resources

If you are looking for a comprehensive description of asbestos, its origin and health affects, a good place to look is:
  1. Asbestos at Wiki

  2. EPA's Indoor Air Quality Site - Asbestos page

  3. OSHA Safety and Health Topics - Asbestos
    Asbestos is well recognized as a health hazard and is highly regulated. An estimated 1.3 million employees in construction and general industry face significant asbestos exposure on the job. Heaviest exposures occur in the construction industry, particularly during the removal of asbestos during renovation or demolition. Employees are also likely to be exposed during the manufacture of asbestos products (such as textiles, friction products, insulation, and other building materials) and during automotive brake and clutch repair work.
  4. NIOSH Publications On Asbestos

Health Effects

No immediate symptoms, but long-term risk of chest and abdominal cancers and lung diseases. Smokers are at higher risk of developing asbestos-induced lung cancer. Integrated Risk Information System description on Asbestos - www.epa.gov/iris/subst/0371.htm#I.A. (Chemical Abstract Service Registry Number - 1332-21-4).

The most dangerous asbestos fibers are too small to be visible. After they are inhaled, they can remain and accumulate in the lungs. Asbestos can cause lung cancer, mesothelioma (a cancer of the chest and abdominal linings), and asbestosis (irreversible lung scarring that can be fatal). Symptoms of these diseases do not show up until many years after exposure began. Most people with asbestos-related diseases were exposed to elevated concentrations on the job; some developed disease from exposure to clothing and equipment brought home from job sites.

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Call EPA's TSCA Assistance Line at (202) 554-1404 to find out whether your state has a training and certification program for asbestos removal contractors and for information on EPA's Asbestos programs or visit the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxic Substances Asbestos Home Page - www.epa.gov/asbestos

Posted by Greg Magnus | AMG Market