In recent years much attention has been geared towards the various health conditions that may arise as a result of working with or around asbestos. From lung cancer to mesothelioma, the facts are there - asbestos can cause significant health risks.
Asbestos is a group of minerals that occur naturally as fibers and are used in certain industries. The trick is, since society is more aware of the dangers of asbestos today - most industries avoid the use of these minerals in order to decrease the likelihood of health risks such as lung damage.
The United States EPA provides us with a great deal of information on asbestos, including the following:
From studies of people who were exposed to asbestos in factories and shipyards, we know that 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.
