What is asbestos and why is it dangerous

It could be in the insulation wrapped around your furnace ducts or pipes, as well as in your floor tiles and other areas. Asbestos only poses a potential health risk when it is disturbed, fraying or crumbling, and when fibers are released in the air.

Asbestos fibers that are enclosed behind walls, isolated in attics, bound tightly in an intact product, or kept away from the interior environment of a home or building poses little risk.

Tests show that removing asbestos from older buildings can actually increase the risk of exposure and the number of asbestos fibres in the air if the proper precautions are not followed.

Asbestos exposure and related diseases have also been reported in asbestos workers, their families and people who live near asbestos mines or processing facilities. Construction and trade workers involved in renovations and repairs to older buildings are at higher risk of asbestos exposure if proper safety measures are not followed. If you live in an older home, do a visual check of all your hot water pipes and furnace air ducts.

Look to see if the potentially asbestos-containing insulation material is breaking or coming apart. If it is breaking or coming apart, do not disturb it.

This may create more asbestos dust that can spread in your home. Keep people and pets away, and consult with an asbestos removal expert before you attempt to remove or seal the material.

Some forms of insulation may look like asbestos, but they are actually mineral or fibreglass-based insulation materials that are unlikely to pose a health risk.

To reduce your risk of exposure to asbestos, it is always best to hire a professional to collect and test a sample of the material for asbestos. Need advice? Why is asbestos dangerous? Posted: 4th May 21 AM When asbestos is damaged or disturbed, microscopic fibres are released into the air. If these fibres are inhaled, they can cause serious damage to the lungs and life-changing diseases.

Asbestos was since found to be a hazardous substance, needing to be handled with care. How does asbestos cause damage and disease? Most asbestos diseases develop after breathing in asbestos fibres. When inhaled, these fibres can become lodged in lung tissue. Breathing in asbestos fibres can cause Asbestos Related Diseases :. The risk of contracting one of these diseases generally increases with the number of fibres inhaled, however, some people have contracted mesothelioma after only a very brief exposure.

The symptoms of these diseases do not usually appear until 20 to 30 years it may be less or longer — there is no hard or fast rule , after initial exposure to asbestos dust and fibres. To find out more about asbestos related diseases please go to the Asbestos Diseases section of this website. A cubic centimeter is about the size of a sugar cube. The air is checked for asbestos fibers by taking samples of the air using air sampling methods. The Minnesota Department of Health has established a "clean air" level of 0.

When asbestos is released into the air, it enters the surrounding environment. You can be exposed to asbestos if you enter these environments. If exposed to asbestos, many factors contribute to whether harmful health effects will occur. These factors include:. Laboratory studies and studies of asbestos workers show us that asbestos can make you sick. If you breathe asbestos fibers, you may increase the risk of several serious diseases, including asbestosis, mesothelioma and lung cancer.

Asbestos exposure may increase your risk for cancers of the digestive system, including colon cancer. No amount of asbestos is considered safe.

Products that contain greater than 1 percent of asbestos minerals are considered to be asbestos-containing.