| Unless you have been completely out of touch, | | | | lungs. Making matters worse, asbestos dust is so |
| you have probably heard all the hubbub about the | | | | fine that it is easily raised from asbestos material |
| dangers of asbestos. So, what is the big deal? | | | | like ceiling tiles and walls. Once in the air, it is all but |
| A Quick Guide to Asbestos and Health Issues | | | | invisible. Prolonged exposure, such as when |
| Asbestos is a fibrous material that is highly | | | | working on or in a building with asbestos materials, |
| resistant to burning. It has a long history. While it | | | | can result in massive amounts of the toxic dust |
| was first used on a large scale commercial basis | | | | entering the lungs. |
| at the turn of the twentieth century, it has | | | | Once asbestos dust is in your lungs, you cannot |
| actually been around much longer. In fact, the | | | | expel it by coughing. That doesn't mean the body |
| ancient Egyptians were known for using it burial | | | | does not try. Asbestosis is scarring of the lungs |
| clothes. | | | | from acid created by the body in an effort to get |
| Common modern applications used to include | | | | the asbestos dust out. If this process is allowed |
| building materials, products and automobile brake | | | | to occur for 10 to 20 years, the lungs may stop |
| pads, which all required a fire resistant element. | | | | functioning because of excess scarring. If that |
| Asbestos is still used today, but on a fairly small | | | | sounds bad, it only gets worse. Asbestos dust |
| scope. The reason has everything to do with | | | | can lead to terminal cancer in the form of |
| health. Asbestos in and of itself is not harmful to | | | | mesothelioma. [What is Mesothelioma?] |
| people. What is harmful, however, is asbestos | | | | Asbestos is an excellent fire resistant material |
| dust. | | | | that saves us from burning while killing us in a |
| Asbestos dust is a vicious thing. Due to the | | | | much slower manner. Since 1989, it has been |
| chemical makeup of the material, the dust is like a | | | | banned in the United States in all but a few |
| cloud of fine glass particles. While they will not | | | | commercial areas. |
| damage your skin, they do great damage to the | | | | |