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ASBESTOS
What
Is Asbestos?
Asbestos
is a mineral fiber. It can be positively identified
only with a special type of microscope. There are
several types of asbestos fibers. In the past, asbestos
was added to a variety of products to strengthen them
and to provide heat insulation and fire resistance.
How Can Asbestos Affect
My Health?
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; and
-- 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 I 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 woodburning 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, dilled, 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
FACINGS, and GASKETS.
Asbestos Exposure
Most health information on asbestos exposure has been
derived from studies of workers who have been exposed
to asbestos in the course of their occupation. Asbestos
fiber concentrations for these workers were many times
higher than those encountered by the general public.
Because asbestos fibers are naturally occurring and
extremely aerodynamic, virtually everyone is exposed
to asbestos. To be a significant health concern, asbestos
fibers must be inhaled at high concentrations over
an extended period of time. Asbestos fibers then accumulate
in the lungs. As exposure increases, the risk of disease
also increases. Therefore, measures to minimize exposure
and consequently minimize accumulation of fibers will
reduce the risk of adverse health effects.
Asbestos is only dangerous if it becomes airborne.
As long as asbestos containing materials are not damaged,
the asbestos fibers do not become airborne and do
not pose a health threat to the building occupants.
During an asbestos building survey, inspectors assess
the condition of asbestos containing materials. These
conditions do deteriorate over time. If you find that
an asbestos containing item has been damaged, please
contact our office for a hazard assessment.
Asbestos Diseases
As asbestos fibers accumulate in the lungs, several
types of diseases may occur. Asbestosis is a scarring
of the lung tissue. This scarring impairs the elasticity
of the lung and hampers its ability to exchange gases.
This leads to inadequate oxygen intake to the blood.
Asbestosis restricts breathing leading to decreased
lung volume and increased resistance in the airways.
It is a slowly progressive disease with a latency
period of 15 to 30 years.
How To Manage An Asbestos
Problem
If the asbestos material is in good shape and will
not be disturbed, do nothing! If it is a problem,
there are two types of corrections: repair and removal.
REPAIR usually involves either
sealing or covering asbestos material.
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Sealing (encapsulation) involves treating
the material with a sealant that either binds
the asbestos fibers together or coats the material
so fibers are not released. Pipe, furnace, and
boiler insulation can sometimes be repaired this
way. This should be done only by a professional
trained to handle asbestos safely.
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Covering (enclosure) involves placing
something over or around the material that contains
asbestos to prevent release of fibers. Exposed
insulated piping may be covered with a protective
wrap or jacket.
With any type of repair, the asbestos remains in place.
Repair is usually cheaper than removal, but it may
make later removal of asbestos, if necessary, more
difficult and costly. Repairs can either be major
or minor.
Star Environmental, Inc. -- (317) 295-STAR
-- will give you free, professional consultation on
all of your options considering repair and/or remediation
of Asbestos Containing Materials.
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