Asbestos is one of those words that often conjures up many emotions in the minds of people, such as sadness, anger, frustration and sorrow. It is not a topic that people generally like to talk about, because of its obvious negative connotations.
Photo by Joey Gannon (via Flickr).
Whilst many people have a general understanding of asbestos, only a small number of folks truly understand what asbestos is and what its effects on human health are.
For those of you who aren’t too clued up on asbestos, you should check out these 7 facts that you didn’t know about this silent killer; you might be surprised how asbestos could affect you or what you do for a living!
1. Asbestos is not the name for a type of cancer
Some people wrongly believe that asbestos itself is a type of cancer. It is actually the name given to a group of naturally-occurring silicate minerals, and it is these minerals that can cause cancer such as mesothelioma and lung cancer.
2. Asbestos use was not a recent thing
Although asbestos only started becoming widely used for its insulation properties in buildings and electrical cables towards the end of the 19th century, it was actually mined thousands of years ago by people from Finland, who used the minerals for cooking because of their fire-retardant properties.
3. Asbestos can sometimes be found in talcum powder
Do you use talcum powder? If so, you might want to think again about doing so because asbestos can sometimes be found in it!
This is because the underground deposits from which talc is mined can also contain asbestos ore – although there are strict regulations governing the filtering of asbestos from talc, depending on its application (i.e. for personal hygiene or industrial use).
4. Asbestos is most likely in your home
Unless your home was built from the beginning of the 21st century, it is likely that there are going to be materials in your home which contain asbestos. But the good news is that if those materials aren’t disintegrating, you shouldn’t suffer any negative effects from them.
5. Asbestos can be hard to find
The stumbling block many people face that try to locate asbestos in their homes and buildings is that they are often mixed in with other materials, like cement, for example. Asbestos itself is usually blue, brown or white in colour.
6. Asbestos exposure can be proved for lawsuit claims
If you have worked in the building and construction industry, for example, and you develop a condition like mesothelioma which is caused by asbestos exposure, this can be proven in a lawsuit against your employer. An asbestos lawyer will be able to advise you on how to proceed with any claims.
7. Asbestos could be to blame for some people’s deaths after 9/11
Following the collapse of the Twin Towers in New York, it is thought that the unusually high mortality rate of emergency service workers from cancer who worked during the disaster may of been as a result of asbestos dust entering the air from the collapsed buildings.
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