Category: Asbestos Facts

Asbestos and Mesothelioma

Posted by Ken on

What is Asbestos?

Since most people know of Asbestos as used in insulation for many things, they begin to assume that it’s a man made product. Actually, it’s a naturally occuring metamorphic mineral found in many parts of the world. Canada has been the leading producer of asbestos for years now. It’s found in a fiber-like form, which is what makes it useful for insulation in pipes, walls and buildings. There are other uses for asbestos in addition to insulation, such as when asbestos and concrete are mixed together, a stronger form of concrete is formed, which saves on the amount of concrete needed to be used. Continue reading “Asbestos and Mesothelioma” →

Asbestos Cleanups

Safe Asbestos Cleanups – What You Need to Know

Posted by kapil on

Asbestos, which is present in millions of homes, schools and other public building across the United States, is notoriously toxic. It is the only definitively known cause of mesothelioma, a virulent cancer that causes thousands of death annually. Experts on public health and safety have determined that there is no safe level of exposure to asbestos. Even the slightest exposure can result in serious illnesses, including lung cancer, asbestosis, and a number of other cancers. However, the mere presences of asbestos isn’t a hazard. Rather, it only becomes dangerous when it is friable – a word that means easily crumbled – or when it is disturbed or broken, such as often happens during renovations in older homes and buildings. Continue reading “Safe Asbestos Cleanups – What You Need to Know” →

Global Asbestos Trade Continues to Grow Despite Calls for a Universal Ban

Posted by kapil on

Asbestos, an umbrella term that applies to minerals that form fine fibers when broken or crushed, has been known to cause mesothelioma and other cancers since the 1960s. Most industrialized nations have banned asbestos trade and use, but there are notable exceptions, among them some of the fastest growing economies in the world. While most people believe that the dangers of asbestos exposure has declined, thanks to the widely publicized bans in the United States, Canada, Australia and other Continue reading “Global Asbestos Trade Continues to Grow Despite Calls for a Universal Ban” →

Asbestos Around the House

Posted by Mesothelioma Explained on

Asbestos continues to be a concern because of its widespread use during the 1900s for both residential and commercial construction. While the dangers of asbestos have been widely known for centuries, the asbestos industry conspired to hide its hazards from the government and consumers for decades. Because of this – and because of the building booms of the early and mid 20th centuries – asbestos made its way into millions of homes. In 2011, The Guardian, a UK newspaper, estimated that more than 50% of Continue reading “Asbestos Around the House” →

Different types of asbestos mesothelioma explained

Types of Asbestos

Posted by Mesothelioma Explained on

What is asbestos, exactly? Unlike many chemicals and substances that have been found to be harmful, asbestos is not a specific mineral or substance, and has no defined chemical structure. The word itself doesn’t refer to a specific mineral. Instead, it’s a commercial term for a group of minerals that form strong, flexible, durable fibers rather than the crystalline structure we usually associate with minerals. The Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976 defines six types of asbestos, based on the mineral from which they are Continue reading “Types of Asbestos” →