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How Can Asbestos Affect Your Health?
According to scientific
studies of
people, who were exposed to asbestos in factories and
shipyards, breathing high levels of asbestos fibers can lead
to an increased risk of:
-
lung
cancer
-
mesothelioma, a cancer of the lining of the chest and
the abdominal cavity
-
asbestosis, in which the lungs become scarred with
fibrous tissue.
The risk of
lung cancer and mesothelioma increases with the number of
fibers inhaled. The risk of lung cancer from inhaling
asbestos fibers is also greater if you smoke. People who get
asbestosis have usually been exposed to high levels of
asbestos for a long time. The symptoms of these diseases do
not usually appear until about 20 to 30 years after the
first exposure to asbestos.
Most people
exposed to small amounts of asbestos, as we all are in our
daily lives, do not develop these health problems. However,
if disturbed, asbestos material may release asbestos fibers,
which can be inhaled into the lungs. The fibers can remain
there for a long time, increasing the risk of disease.
Asbestos material that would crumble easily if handled, or
that has been sawed, scraped, or sanded into a powder, is
more likely to create a health hazard.
Where Can You Find
Asbestos And When Can It Be A Problem?
Most products
made today do not contain asbestos. Those few products made
which still contain asbestos that could be inhaled are
required to be labeled as such. However, until the 1970s,
many types of building products and insulation materials
used in homes contained asbestos. Common products that might
have contained asbestos in the past, and conditions which
may release fibers, include:
-
Steam
pipes, boilers and furnace ducts insulated with an
asbestos blanket or asbestos paper tape. These materials
may release asbestos fibers if damaged, repaired, or
removed improperly.
-
Resilient
floor tiles (vinyl asbestos, asphalt and rubber), the
backing on vinyl sheet flooring, and adhesives used for
installing floor tile. Sanding tiles can release fibers.
So may scraping or sanding the backing of sheet flooring
during removal.
-
Cement
sheet, millboard and paper used as insulation around
furnaces and wood-burning stoves. Repairing or removing
appliances may release asbestos fibers. So may cutting,
tearing, sanding, drilling, or sawing insulation.
-
Door
gaskets in furnaces, wood stoves, and coal stoves. Worn
seals can release asbestos fibers during use.
-
Soundproofing or decorative material sprayed on walls
and ceilings. Loose, crumbly, or water-damaged material
may release fibers. So will sanding, drilling, or
scraping the material.
-
Patching
and joint compounds for walls and ceilings, and textured
paints. Sanding, scraping, or drilling these surfaces
may release asbestos.
-
Asbestos
cement roofing, shingles and siding. These products are
not likely to release asbestos fibers unless sawed,
drilled or cut.
-
Artificial
ashes and embers sold for use in gas-fired fireplaces.
Also, other older household products such as fireproof
gloves, stove-top pads, ironing board covers, and
certain hairdryers.
-
Automobile
brake pads and linings, clutch facing and gaskets.
Where Asbestos Hazards May Be Found In Your Home?
-
Some roofing
and siding shingles are made of asbestos cement.
-
Houses built
between 1930 and 1950 may have asbestos as insulation.
-
Asbestos may
be present in textured paint and in patching compounds
used on wall and ceiling joints. Their use was banned in
1977.
-
Artificial
ashes and embers sold for use in gas-fired fireplaces may
contain asbestos.
-
Older
products such as stove-top pads may have some asbestos
compounds.
-
Walls and
floors around wood-burning stoves may be protected with
asbestos paper, millboard, or cement sheets.
-
Asbestos is
found in some vinyl floor tiles and the backing on vinyl
sheet flooring and adhesives.
-
Hot water
and steam pipes in older houses may be coated with an
asbestos material or covered with an asbestos blanket or
tape.
-
Oil and coal
furnaces and door gaskets may have asbestos insulation.
What
Should Be Done About Asbestos In Your Home?
If you think
asbestos may be in your home, don't panic, usually the
best thing is to leave asbestos material that is in good
condition alone. Generally, material in good condition
will not release asbestos fibers. There is no danger
unless fibers are released and inhaled into the lungs.
Check material regularly if you suspect it may contain
asbestos. Don't touch it, but look for signs of wear or
damage such as tears, abrasions, or water damage. Damaged
material may release asbestos fibers. This is particularly
true if you often disturb it by hitting, rubbing, or
handling it, or if it is exposed to extreme vibration or
air flow. Sometimes, the best way to deal with slightly
damaged material is to limit access to the area and not
touch or disturb it. Discard damaged or worn asbestos
gloves, stove-top pads, or ironing board covers. Check
with local health, environmental, or other appropriate
officials to find out proper handling and disposal
procedures. If asbestos material is more than slightly
damaged, or if you are going to make changes in your home
that might disturb it, repair or removal by a professional
is needed. Before you have your house remodeled, find out
whether asbestos materials are present.
Caution!
Do not
dust, sweep, or vacuum debris that may contain asbestos.
These steps will disturb tiny asbestos fibers and may
release them into the air. Remove dust by wet mopping or
with a special HEPA vacuum cleaner used by trained asbestos
contractors.
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