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Asbestos
What is asbestos?
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Asbestos is the name for a group of
fibrous minerals that are mined and mixed into building
materials.
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Asbestos is very resistant to heat and
chemicals.
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Asbestos has been used in a wide range
of manufactured goods including floor and ceiling tiles,
coatings, texturing materials and thermal insulation.
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Currently, asbestos is used only in
products where another material has not been found to
replace it.
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Generally, asbestos is not a health
risk when bound together with a substance that prevents
the fibers from entering the environment.
When is asbestos a hazard?
Asbestos is not always an immediate hazard.
In fact, if asbestos can be maintained in good condition, it
is recommended that it be left alone and periodic
surveillance performed to monitor it's condition. Only when
materials containing asbestos are disturbed or those
materials become damaged that it becomes a hazard. When
asbestos containing materials become damaged, the fibers
separate and may then become airborne. Airborne fibers are a
hazard to your health.
How might someone be exposed?
By far, the most common form of exposure is
by breathing in air containing asbestos fibers. Ingesting
the fibers is also a health risk.
What are the possible health risks of asbestos?
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The body cannot breakdown or eliminate
inhaled fibers.
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A slow buildup of scar-like tissue in
the lungs (called asbestosis) can occur.
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Asbestosis has typically been observed
in asbestos workers.
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Asbestos is known to cause cancer.
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There are no symptoms of exposure such
as coughing, sneezing or itching and therefore you
cannot tell if asbestos is in the air or if you have
inhaled it.
Can asbestos cause cancer?
Yes, Asbestos has been proven to cause
cancer. Three types of cancer have been observed in
individuals exposed to asbestos:
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Lung cancer - both small and large cell
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Mesothelioma ( a cancer of the lining
of the chest and abdomen)
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Cancer of the gastrointestinal tract
[This information from
http://www.info-pedia.com/]
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