| In this, and a series of articles that will follow, we will | | | | There are over 5000 products that contain asbestos |
| cover asbestos, what it is, how it's made, what it's | | | | including sewage piping, roofing and siding, electric |
| used for, the health risks of asbestos exposure and | | | | switchboards, table pads, heat protective mats, heat |
| how to protect yourself against asbestos.Asbestos | | | | resistant blankets and curtains, paints, adhesives, |
| isn't actually one thing. It is a name given to a group of | | | | caulking, and the list goes on and on.But when the |
| minerals. These minerals occur naturally in bundles of | | | | dangers of asbestos became known in the 1970s the |
| fibers that can be separated into thin threads. These | | | | U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) |
| fibers are completely resistant to heat and any kind of | | | | banned the use of asbestos in wallboard patching |
| chemical and do not conduct electricity. Because of | | | | compounds and gas fireplaces because the asbestos |
| these attributes asbestos is has been used in many | | | | fibers in these products could be released into the air |
| industries.There are basically four types of asbestos | | | | from its use. Also during that time, asbestos was |
| that are used.1. Chrysotile, or white asbestos | | | | removed from electric hair dryers. In 1989 the EPA |
| 2. Crocidolite, or blue asbestos | | | | finally banned all new uses of asbestos. Uses prior to |
| 3. Amosite, which usually has brown fibers | | | | 1989, however, are still allowed. Since that time, the |
| 4. Anthophyllite, which usually has gray fibersThe | | | | EPA has established regulations that require school |
| problem with asbestos fibers is that they tend to break | | | | systems to inspect for asbestos that has been |
| very easily and the dust made up of these fibers | | | | damaged in order to eliminate, or at least reduce, the |
| floats into the air and gets on our clothes and in our | | | | exposure to students and faculty, by removing the |
| lungs. When this happens serious health problems can | | | | damaged areas.In the year 2000 the EPA concluded |
| occur.Asbestos was first mined and commercially | | | | that the current risk to children from asbestos in |
| used in the United States in the late 1800s. During the | | | | schools was very low, however, it was agreed that |
| second world war its use increased dramatically. Since | | | | their products would have to be reformulated within a |
| then it has been used in many industries. To give some | | | | year. By August of that same year products were |
| examples, the building and construction industry uses it | | | | being made that greatly reduced the amount of dust |
| to strengthen cement and plastics. They also use it for | | | | that was released during use. The amount of metric |
| insulation, fireproofing and sound absorption. The | | | | tons of asbestos generated in a year dropped from |
| shipbuilding industry uses asbestos to insulate boilers, | | | | 719,000 metric tons in 1973 to only 9000 metric tons by |
| steam pipes and hot water pipes. The automobile | | | | the year 2000.In the next instalment we'll go over the |
| industry uses it in its brake shoes and clutch pads. | | | | health risks from exposure to asbestos. |