Is Asbestos Dangerous?
Asbestos has been used by man for centuries, in part because of its amazing charectoristics. It was the Greeks that coined the name asbestos meaning inextinguishable. One of the earliest accounts of the health effects caused by asbestos was reported by greek geographer strabo and roman naturalist Pliny. They noticed a sickness of the lungs in the slaves who wove asbestos into cloth.
In modern times asbestos was used in hundreds of building materials. Linoleum floors, window putty, popcorn cielings, exterior siding are just a few materials that contained asbestos until 1970. It was in 1970 that the clean air act classified asbestos as a hazardous air pollutant, this gave the EPA the power to regulate it.
Why was asbestos Regulated?
After years of study asbestos was proven to be detrimental to human health. According to the world health organization “all forms of asbestos are carcinogenic to humans.”
Health effects of asbestos exposure
Exposure to asbestos has been shown to cause:
Asbestosis which is scarring to the lungs caused by breathing in asbestos fibers. Once the lungs become scarred it becomes harder to breathe because air cannot pass in and out of scarred lungs as easily. Symptoms of asbestosis may not show up until years later.
Lung Cancer which is a malignant tumor that blocks the lungs air passages. Smoking tobacco coupled with asbestos exposure greatly increases the risk of developing lung cancer.
Mesothelioma is a rare cancer that attacks the lining of the lungs. Signs of mesothelioma may not appear until 30-40 years after exposure to asbestos.
My home has asbestos, is my health at risk?
It depends on a few factors. What type of Asbestos containing material(ACM) is in your home? Is It friable or non Friable? What type of asbestos and what percentage does it contain? If you dont know the answers to the questions, no worries we are going to break it down.
What type of ACM is in your home?
Not all asbestos materials are created equal. For example popcorn ceiling texture is brittle, even a brush of a hand can damage it. Once damaged it could begin releasing asbestos fibers into the air. On the other hand something like an old linoleum floor is more rugged and as long as it is not abused can last for years without releasing fibers into the air.
Is It Friable or non friable?
Friable means that the ACM is able to be easily crumpled up using minimal pressure. Basically if you can crumple it up with your fingers it is considered friable. Popcorn ceiling texture would fall under Friable.
Non friable means the material requires tools or strong pressure to crumple up. Un damaged floor tiles fall under the non friable category
Friable materials are suseptebale to releasing asbestos fibers into the air. They can easily be damaged and we would recommend having friable materials professionally abated.
Non friable materials can be left alone as long as they are in good condition, no cracks, missing pieces, or excessive wear.
Final Thoughts
Finally if you were exposed to asbestos please consult your doctor. He can gauge your risk and guide you through the next steps.
Asbestos is a dangerous substance that has proven to be bad for human health. It is linked with causing many diseases. If your home contains asbestos contact a professional abatement company and have them give you a plan for dealing with the problem.