What is asbestos

Understanding Asbestos

What is asbestos? This is a question many individuals ask, and you will have it well answered by the time you are done with this article. Asbestos is a natural material that is made of flexible fibres that are highly resistant to electricity, heat, and corrosion.

These qualities made asbestos one of the most famous building materials. Asbestos was used to build commercial and residential properties in Australia and many other parts of the world. It was used as an insulator and added to cement, plastic, and other materials to strengthen them.

However, the material is no longer used in modern times because asbestos production is banned in many countries worldwide. This is because it has carcinogenic characteristics that make it highly toxic and causes adverse health effects. When ingested or inhaled, the fibres get trapped in your body. With time, the trapped asbestos fibre cause scarring, inflammation, and genetic damage.

Exposure to the material can lead to cancer and many other health issues. The most common type of cancer caused by asbestos is mesothelioma. It can also cause asbestosis, which is progressive lung cancer. To learn more about asbestos, continue reading the article.

Types Of Asbestos

There are six types of asbestos, and each of them occurs naturally. Let's look at each of these types:

Serpentine asbestos

This type of asbestos is characterised by a curly or wavy appearance like a serpent hence the name. It has pliable and long fibres. Serpentine asbestos is also categorised as sheet silicates because its fibres form layered sheets.

Amphibole asbestos

This type has stiff, straight, and needle-like fibres. These features make this type of asbestos more toxic than serpentine asbestos because the fibres are easy to inhale.

Chrysotile asbestos

Chrysotile looks more like serpentine asbestos and is also referred to as white asbestos. It is composed of curly and long fibres that weave together to create sheets. It is most commonly used in construction materials and applied in automotive parts like brake shoes. Some of the products that contain chrysotile asbestos include disk pads, cement, roof sealants, asphalt, elevator brakes, textiles, and plastics.

Amosite asbestos

Amosite asbestos, also known as brown asbestos, features a straight and light brown appearance. It has thin and needle-like fibres that are easy to inhale when they get disturbed. It is heat resistant, making it popular in making ceiling tiles and insulation products. Materials containing amosite asbestos include insulation boards, gaskets, acoustic insulation, fireproof products, cement, and pipe fittings.

Crocidolite asbestos

Crocidolite, also referred to as blue asbestos, is the most dangerous type. Its small-sized crocidolite fibres are easy to inhale. It has a lower heat resistance than the other types, making it unpopular, but you can still get it in some construction materials. Some products with crocidolite asbestos include roof tiles, cement, floor tiles, and floor tiles.

Actinolite asbestos

This type is darker than most other asbestos. It has sharp and long fibres that are easy to inhale. Actinolite asbestos contains silicon, iron, calcium, and magnesium. It's usually rarer than the other types. You won't find it in many consumer products, but it's located in insulation, cement, drywall, sealant, and paint.

Anthophyllite asbestos

Anthophyllite asbestos features a yellowish-brown colour and is made of iron and magnesium. Like the other asbestos types, it has long and needle-like fibres that are easy to inhale. Anthophyllite is also not common, so you won't get it used in consumer products. It is used in insulations and cement.

Tremolite asbestos

This type of asbestos features a wide range of colours, from dark green to white. It has long and sharp fibres and is mainly applied in insulation and other building materials. Some of the tremolite asbestos materials include paint, insulation, and sealants.

Minerals Containing Asbestos

With asbestos banned worldwide, it is also essential to know some of the minerals that contain asbestos to avoid them. This is important because these minerals are not regulated or restricted, so you will find them in the market.

Some of these minerals include taconite, erionite, winchite, and richterite. The minerals feature asbestiform fibres that can lead to adverse health issues. Other minerals that contain asbestos include talc and vermiculite.

Talc

This natural mineral contains hydrogen, magnesium, oxygen, and silicon. It is mainly used in beauty products, such as personal care products, facial powders, baby powder, and eye shadows. The use of talc has become a significant concern due to asbestos contamination that can cause mesothelioma, lung cancer, and ovarian cancer.

Vermiculate

This is a natural mineral that is used in insulation and gardening. Heat is usually applied to allow it to expand into long strands. Vermiculate is lightweight and resistant to fire and chemicals. These qualities make it a common additive for filler in animal feed, construction, and packing materials.

Why Is Asbestos Dangerous?

Asbestos is dangerous because it can break down into tiny thin fibres, so you need to avoid it to enhance your safety and health. The fibres are minute, so they can remain airborne for many days after being disturbed. It is easy to inhale them when they are in the air, leading to complications.

The fibres go deep into your lungs and get lodged in the lung tissue. Once they are in the lung tissues, they cause many serious health issues such as asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma.

When Is Asbestos Toxic?

Asbestos becomes dangerous when its fibres are inhaled. There is a notion that some types of asbestos are more dangerous than others, but this is not true. So, until proven safe, you need to treat all asbestos as hazardous. It's hard to tell when asbestos is affecting your lungs.

This is because asbestos exposure does not make you sneeze or cough. Moreover, asbestos does not make your skin or throat itch. Asbestos fibres get into the air when materials made of asbestos are disturbed, damaged, or removed inappropriately.

When asbestos gets crushed, it does not produce ordinary dust but tiny fibres that are too minute to feel, taste, or see. When in the air, it's possible to measure the asbestos fibres. You can measure them in units referred to as fibres per cubic centimetre of air.

The air is checked for the fibres by applying air sampling methods. Once airborne, asbestos travels through the air, making it easy for you to be exposed to them. When exposed to asbestos, several factors determine if it's harmful or not.

Factors that determine whether asbestos is dangerous include:

• The amount

• Duration you get exposed to the fibres

• Other chemicals you get exposed to

• The way you get exposed to the fibres

Individual characteristics also determine whether or not the material harms you. They include your lifestyle, age, family traits, gender, nutritional status, and your general health.

The Time It Takes To Be Affected By Asbestos

All the health issues caused by asbestos have a latency period. This refers to the gap between the time you are exposed to the material and when you begin experiencing the sickness. In most cases, the latency period of asbestos illnesses is around ten to forty years.

You do not feel sick during this period but start feeling the effects after this period is over. Not all people exposed to asbestos get sick, but anyone exposed to the disease has a high risk.

All the diseases caused by asbestos are hard to treat, and some are incurable. The most imperative factor is to ensure that the fibres never enter your lungs. Bear in mind that the only cure for asbestos diseases is to avoid exposure to the fibres.

Diseases Caused By Asbestos

Exposure to asbestos fibres causes different diseases. Here are some of the asbestos-related diseases:

Mesothelioma

This is just one of the most prevalent diseases caused by asbestos. You get the disease after exposure to the fibres, where the disease develops in the body's cavity membranes. Tumours develop on the lung linings, testes, heart, and stomach. When the lungs are affected, it's known as pleural mesothelioma, and when it involves the testes, it's called testicular mesothelioma.

Peritoneal mesothelioma affects the stomach, while pericardial mesothelioma affects the heart. Every type of mesothelioma usually showcases a different set of symptoms. However, most patients experience abdominal pain, chest pains, and shortness of breath.

Lung cancer

Lung cancer is another disease associated with asbestos, and this is one of the deadliest forms of lung disease. Lung cancer affects the small lung cells after exposure to asbestos. According to the Cancer Council, people who smoke are at a higher risk of getting lung cancer when exposed to asbestos.

Ovarian cancer

Asbestos exposure is also a major cause of ovarian cancer among women. Asbestos fibres go into women's ovaries after being exposed to asbestos for a long time. The fibres reach the ovary through the lymph system, bloodstream, or reproductive tract.

Laryngeal cancer

Laryngeal cancer is also associated with asbestos exposure. Asbestos is the other cause of laryngeal cancer after heavy alcohol and smoking. Thus, if you smoke or drink alcohol, you are at a higher risk of getting laryngeal cancer.

Bile duct cancer

Prolonged asbestos exposure is also a big cause of bile duct cancer. This exposure may be a result of household or occupational asbestos exposure. The bile ducts form a connection from the gallbladder to the small intestines and liver to provide the enzymes required for digestion. Asbestos fibres get trapped in the tiny tubules.

Other types of cancers associated with asbestos exposure include kidney, gallbladder, throat, and oesophageal cancer.

Asbestosis

This is a chronic lung ailment caused by high exposure to asbestos fibres. Although this disease is not cancer, it's fatal and is characterised by lung inflammation and scarring. The disease makes it hard for your lungs to expand and relax correctly.

This causes symptoms such as chest tightness and breath shortness. It is a form of interstitial lung disease caused by prolonged exposure to cotton dust, silica dust, hard metal dust, coal dust, and concrete dust.

Pleural effusions

This is a health issue characterised by fluid accumulation between pleural membrane layers. The build-up occurs in the chest cavity between the ribs and the lungs, leading to lung compression and shortness of breath. Note that effusions can occur independently of the other asbestos-associated problems.

The problem is not fatal, but it can lead to pain and interfere with effective breathing over time. Even after draining the fluid, it can recur unless pleurodesis is done.

Peritoneal effusions

Peritoneal effusion is the excessive collection of the abdominal cavity fluid. The issue is also known as ascites and is treated by removing the fluid. Peritoneal mesothelioma is usually related to other types of cancer.

Pleuritis

When exposed to asbestos fibres, they cause inflammation of your pleura. The inflammation makes the surfaces rough, and they rub against each other, leading to sharp shoulder and chest pain. The pain escalates when you breathe, move, or cough.

Diffuse pleural thickening

This is another condition caused by asbestos exposure. It is characterised by the formation of lesions on the pleural lining. The problem affects the functioning of the lungs and can also prevent the correct airflow to the lungs, making it fatal.

Atelectasis

Atelectasis is a rare condition caused by asbestos exposure characterised by pleural thickening.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

COPD is accelerated by asbestos exposure leading to weakening of the lungs. This makes them malfunction and can eventually lead to death.

Which Materials May Have Asbestos?

Although asbestos is banned from being used in Australia, there are things in your home that might contain asbestos. Some of these things include:

• Wall and attic insulations

• Siding and roofing shingles

• Vinyl floor tiles

• Textured paints

• Insulations for coal furnaces, oil, and door caskets

• Old products like ironing board covers, fireproof gloves, and some hairdryers

How To Check If Asbestos Is Present

Asbestos identification

The first step toward asbestos prevention and removal is identifying the presence of the material. It's good to check out the presence of asbestos fibres in buildings. Don't assume there is asbestos in an old building until you are sure the material is present. Always work with a professional to help in the identification process.

Perform a risk assessment

If you identify the presence of asbestos in your building, the next step is to carry out a risk assessment. It's time to determine who might be at risk of asbestos exposure and how to avoid disturbing the material. After gauging the risks involved, your professional can now create a plan to remove the asbestos safely from your building.

Asbestos removal

The next step is to have the asbestos removed. Your asbestos company applies all the necessary techniques. It uses the right tools to ensure that the material is removed completely without causing any harm to people or even to the environment.

Asbestos disposal

Once the asbestos is removed, the other critical step is to dispose of it correctly. A qualified asbestos company understands the best ways to have the material should be disposed of according to the laid down regulations. They ensure that the material is disposed of safely so that it does not have any adverse effects on people or the environment.

How To Prevent Asbestos Exposure

With the health risks caused by asbestos, it is always essential to ensure that you prevent asbestos exposure. Here are some ways that you can prevent yourself and your household members from being exposed to asbestos:

Housekeeping

As a custodian or housekeeper, you should never dry buff or sand asbestos that contains floor tiles. You should use the wet stripping methods during stripping work. Use low abrasion pads moving at a speed of 300 rpm. Fallen or broken ceiling tiles should be left untouched until they are well identified. Only after identification should you safely remove them. Only professional asbestos removalists should remove asbestos tiles.

Avoid handling asbestos materials by yourself

If you find any damaged asbestos-containing material, you need to report it to the relevant authorities in your locality in Australia. For instance, if you find asbestos material knocked off a wall or ceiling, call asbestos removal experts for immediate clean-up.

You should never try cleaning yourself since the job requires high-level training and skills. Also, ensure that you don't disturb the material so that the fibres don't get airborne.

Perform a pre-purchase building inspection

When purchasing a building, it is advisable to have it inspected before closing the deal. Hire a highly qualified company to check the building for any asbestos presence. This is more important if the building was built when asbestos was still a popular building material in Brisbane. In case there is asbestos, the material gets removed before you can get into the building.

Mistakes To Avoid When Handling Asbestos

With the risky nature of asbestos, you should take the necessary precautions when handling the material. Here are the mistakes you need to avoid:

Disturbing asbestos

One of the greatest mistakes to avoid is disturbing the asbestos. Disturbing the material will have severe effects on your health for many years. Asbestos particles usually cling onto alveoli when inhaled. When disturbed, you can easily inhale the fibres leading to scarring of your lungs. Note that the disturbance can happen when refurbishing walls, ceilings, floors, doors, and panels, so take care when doing it.

Removing asbestos by yourself

Another great mistake to avoid is removing the asbestos by yourself. Note that asbestos removal is a task that requires high-level expertise and training. Without the right skills, you might mess up, increasing the risk of asbestos exposure. The removal process should also be done using the stipulated methods. You should work with a fully licensed and accredited asbestos removalist company.

Overlooking short-term precautions

You need to observe short-term precautions to prevent disturbing the asbestos. If you fail to handle asbestos correctly in the short term, it becomes hazardous. For instance, using methods such as sweeping or dusting can make it airborne. You also need to spray surfaces with water to ensure that the asbestos fibres don't get airborne.

Choosing An Asbestos Removalist Company

To inspect and remove asbestos from your property, you must work with the best removalist company. With the great skills needed to remove and dispose of asbestos, you must work with a fully licensed company. Here are tips for getting the best asbestos company.

Check references

You can get the best company by asking for references from other companies or other clients who have hired the companies in your area. Focus on professionalism, honesty, price, and timelines. This is a great way to get the best since you will get information from people who have worked first-hand with various companies.

Removal strategies used

It's essential to check out the methods used by the different companies to ensure that you get one that uses the most effective ways to remove asbestos. Look for a company that uses the most updated and safe methods in the process. They should also use innovative and latest tools to ensure that the removal process is done efficiently.

Insurance and licensing

You need to work with an asbestos removalist company with the right insurance and licensing. They will be working with risky materials in a dangerous environment, so they must be fully qualified and have all the permits. Besides, they should have the right insurance cover to protect you from all liabilities.

Waste disposal procedures

Asbestos has fibres that cause cancer and other diseases when they become airborne. You should work with a professional with a waste disposal certificate that follows the right asbestos laws. Before you sign the contract, make sure you ask them about the procedures they use to remove and dispose of the asbestos.

Want To Remove Asbestos From Your Property?

If you have asbestos or suspect there is asbestos in your property, you need to work with the best asbestos removalist company in your locality in Australia. The best company will help inspect and assess if asbestos is present on your property. A good asbestos removalist company helps you do the inspection to identify all the areas where you might have asbestos in your building. They will then apply the safest removal and disposal methods to ensure that your property is safe from the material.