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Writer's pictureEmma Smith

Things to Know About Asbestos and Its History

If you are finding a good asbestos removal service provider to handle asbestos in your home or at any other place, then here are some points that will prove to be very helpful for you during the concerned procedure. Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that has been manufactured and mined for use in different for, ms. It has been extensively used in the building industry because of its strength, durability, and fire-resistant properties.

Asbestos was a useful and popular material in the 20th century, because of its ability to act and insulate as a fire retardant. In fact, it is being heavily used in countries like China and India. You will be surprised to know that Asbestos is quite dangerous to the health of the people and the surroundings, and the fact is that it has been banned in more than fifty countries all over the world, even in the US too. It has been banned for some uses. But the main question is “how much worried you should be when you find it at your home?”

When these asbestos fibers are inhaled into the body or swallowed, they become lodged in the soft tissues of the abdomen or lungs. The body faces significant difficulties while expelling these fibers. This triggers more than a dozen of health complications including cancer.

It might take decades, but asbestos fibers have been proven to cause cancer, especially lung cancer and others. In fact, these asbestos-related illnesses account for around 10,000 deaths in the US each year. Asbestos removal is a great concern amongst the population and government.

Amongst this 2000 to 3000 annual deaths are caused by Mesothelioma which is the most common form of cancer developed into the lining of the lungs. Although lung cancer has other causes too, pleural is exclusively caused by getting exposure to asbestosis.

While breathing in this substance, it does not create any immediate damage or harm to your body, but with the passage of time, it affects your body. Asbestos-Related cancer and the asbestos-related problem often rise after a span of many years. This gap between the first appearance and exposure of symptoms called the latency period can range from 10 to 50 years.

Because of this latency period, people who were exposed to asbestos before the 1980s could not begin to notice the symptoms of lung cancer. Furthermore, few people find its presence at home and think of getting it removed from them only. So, it must be kept in mind that proper inspection is necessary to eliminate asbestos fibers.

The two main types of asbestos used in buildings and construction include bonded or tightly bound asbestos, and friable or loosely bound asbestos. 

Bonded Asbestos: Bounded asbestos found in residential homes and made up of a binding substance such as cement and up to 15% of asbestos and is also commonly known as fibro, asbestos cement, or AC sheeting.

Friable Asbestos: This asbestos is most commonly found in commercial and industrial buildings for fireproofing, soundproofing, and insulation purposes. It can be found in stones, hot water systems, and vinyl and linoleum floor coverings. This type of asbestos is made up of 100% asbestos and disintegrates, turning to dust upon touching. It must be removed by those with an A-class certificate.

When asbestos fibers are inhaled, they can be trapped in the body’s internal organs such as the lungs. Asbestos fibers can remain in lung tissue for life. Asbestos fibers in the body can trigger chemical reactions that may lead to cancer.

Thus, this is a task that should be done by professionals by making use of appropriate safety techniques so that they do not get exposed to it directly. There are various service providers for asbestos removal; you should hire professionals for this task. Don’t try to do it by yourself because of the associated health hazards.

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