Table Of Contents
Asbestos Dangers
Extensive building assessments performed suggest that most Australian homes built before the 1990s contain asbestos materials in massive proportions. The presence of asbestos does not make it hazardous; instead, asbestos becomes a threat when it is disturbed or mishandled and gets released into the air.
In a nutshell, asbestos becomes dangerous when its fibres or particles enter a person's body either by inhalation or ingestion. This article highlights the types of asbestos, when it becomes dangerous, and the dangers it poses to human health and the environment. But first, let's understand what asbestos is.
What Is Asbestos?
Asbestos is a group of six fibrous minerals that occur naturally. In the early 1940s, asbestos was popular and used to manufacture building materials like cement, floor tiles, roofing sheets, textured paints, and adhesives, among others. Asbestos was a crucial component in these materials due to its strong resistance to high temperatures and fire. Additionally, asbestos was used in making insulation materials because it is an effective insulator.
Types Of Asbestos
As stated before, six groups of fibrous minerals make up asbestos or are collectively called asbestos. Each of these six minerals varies in its features and composition. The six groups are then categorised into two main classes, namely:
• Amphibole mineral family
• Serpentine mineral family
Amphibole mineral family of asbestos
This composite of asbestos is made up of straight structures that resemble a chain. Amphibole asbestos is sharp and easily inhaled into the body. Five out of the six groups of asbestos belong to this family of minerals. These include:
• Tremolite asbestos
• Amosite asbestos
• Anthophyllite asbestos
• Actinolite asbestos
• Crocidolite asbestos
Tremolite asbestos
This form of asbestos is well known for its high resistance to heat. In addition, it can easily be woven into a fabric. Tremolite asbestos is responsible for numerous cases of asbestos-related diseases and cancers as it can be easily ingested and inhaled. The colour of tremolite ranges from dark green to milky white.
Tremolite can be found in minerals like vermiculite and talc. In the past, it was used for making paints, insulating materials, sealants, and materials used in plumbing and roofing.
Amosite asbestos
Amosite is also referred to as brown asbestos and is considered one of the most hazardous types of asbestos. It contains sharp, brittle asbestos fibres that resemble a needle and are easily inhaled.
Besides chrysotile, amosite is considered the second most commonly used asbestos. Some of the materials that contain amosite include the following:
• Fire protectants or anti-fire materials
• Gaskets
• Roofing and tiling materials
• Materials used for thermal, chemical, and electrical insulation
• Cement
• Insulating boards
• Plumbing insulators
Anthophyllite asbestos
This is one of the rarest forms of asbestos. It has a colour ranging from yellow to brown and contains needle-like fibres that are long and easily inhaled. Anthophyllite asbestos contains two main minerals: iron and magnesium. This form of asbestos is not usually found in most consumer products; however, it is present in cement and materials used in insulation.
Actinolite asbestos
This asbestos class is dark in colour and contains minerals like iron, silicon, calcium, and magnesium. Actinolite asbestos is easily ingested when it becomes airborne. Materials like paints, sealing agents, drywall, insulators, and cement might contain actinolite asbestos.
Crocidolite asbestos
Crocidolite is also called "blue asbestos," which stems from its colour. It contains fine fibres that are very sharp and particularly easy to inhale into the body. Crocidolite is considered the most hazardous asbestos in the amphibole mineral category. It is also reported to be responsible for most asbestos-related illnesses and deaths.
Compared to other forms of asbestos, crocidolite has less resistance to heat and fire. Previously, crocidolite was found in building materials like tiles, insulation materials, and cement. Due to its fatalities, crocidolite is no longer used in manufacturing consumer products.
Serpentine mineral family of asbestos
Also referred to as white asbestos, this category of asbestos is composed of curly fibres with layered structures. The asbestos known to belong to this category is chrysotile.
Chrysotile asbestos
Chrysotile is the primary commercial form of asbestos. As a result, around 85 to 95 per cent of chrysotile asbestos can be found in most building materials. Compared to other forms of asbestos, chrysotile has a higher level of resistance to heat and flexible fibres that can be easily woven into fabrics. It is widely used to manufacture fireproofing and insulation asbestos products.
Other products that contain a reasonable amount of chrysotile include plastics, textiles, rubbers, clutches, brake pads, brake lining, cement gaskets, asphalt, and materials used in roofing. Unlike the other type of asbestos, chrysotile is still widely used and is mined in Russia, Italy, and Canada.
The companies that mine and export chrysotile claim that this form of asbestos is safe because it is "encapsulated in a matrix of either cement or resin" and only used when in a dense and non-friable state. However, despite these claims, the Agency for Toxic Substances maintains that all types of asbestos are unsafe and would pose a health risk if inhaled or ingested, although they are fatal at different levels.
Cancer Australia reports that chrysotile contributes to the most significant cases of lung cancer and mesothelioma. This is due to it being the most widely used type of asbestos. Exposure to chrysotile equally increases the risk of other forms of cancer.
Note: Asbestos equally exists in a natural state deep in soil or rock formations. This natural asbestos can be found in construction, excavation, and mining sites. Such sites are located in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.
Friable Asbestos Is The Most Dangerous
Asbestos in an unbounded or loose state is the most dangerous form of asbestos. Friable asbestos refers to asbestos that can easily crumble or be reduced to powder by hand. Asbestos in a friable state can easily release its dust or fibres and become airborne. Even bonded or non-friable asbestos becomes friable if crushed or severely damaged by fire.
Friable asbestos fibres, upon inhalation, can get trapped in the mucus membrane of the throat and nose. These trapped asbestos fibres can further penetrate deep into the lungs or find their way to other vital organs or tissues through the bloodstream. If ingested by mouth, these fibres go straight to the digestive pathways or tracts, get trapped there and cause health problems.
Ways Asbestos Becomes Dangerous
Presumably, you are now aware that inhaling airborne asbestos or ingesting its fibres is dangerous to your health. The following factors contribute to asbestos becoming dangerous:
Improper handling of asbestos materials or products
Mishandling a material or product that contains asbestos can result in exposure to it. Asbestos exposure occurs when its fibres find their way into a person's body either by inhalation or oral ingestion.
Asbestos can be mishandled in the following ways:
• Throwing or dumping materials that contain asbestos carelessly. It is safer to carry and handle such materials carefully and apply caution when dropping them on the floor.
• Dry-sweeping and dusting the debris of asbestos products. Such a cleaning method would create dust and cause the asbestos fibres to become airborne. Instead, use a type H vacuum cleaner and wet rags to clean up the asbestos debris.
• Packing of asbestos materials meant for disposal improperly. If not well sealed or closed, these materials could cause exposure as they are transported to the dump site.
• Also, improper disposal of materials containing asbestos in unauthorised sites or places could endanger the environmental health of such a place.
Long-term asbestos exposure
The frequency and duration or length of asbestos exposure highly determines how dangerous the mineral is to your health. In addition, the type of asbestos fibres one gets exposed to determines how dangerous the exposure will be, as some types of asbestos are more fatal than others. The quantity of asbestos inhaled or ingested equally influences the extent of its danger. This is because asbestos shows a different level of fatality at different concentrations.
Other factors related to exposure include:
• The age of the patients contributes to the level of risk asbestos poses, as elderly people and infants are more susceptible to its dangers.
• The patient's health condition determines how dangerous asbestos becomes because exposure to it could further worsen or complicate existing underlying health conditions.
Asbestos exposure can be divided into two parts:
• Occupational or workplace asbestos exposure: This could also be referred to as primary or direct asbestos exposure. Here, frequent exposure to asbestos is seen. People that work in factories where asbestos products are manufactured, mining, building, and insulation companies are at risk of this type of exposure.
• Household asbestos exposure: This refers to exposure to asbestos in the home. Household exposure to asbestos can stem from a renovation that involves tearing down the walls or part of the building structure. This form of asbestos exposure could be indirect or an end-product of occupational asbestos exposure resulting from a member of the household handling asbestos daily at the workplace. Not observing health and safety measures at the workplace could cause second-hand asbestos exposure at home.
High concentration of asbestos in the blood
Any form of asbestos exposure could result in its deposition into the bloodstream. When the asbestos fibres accumulate, they become a threat to your health. A high concentration of asbestos in the blood could give rise to cancers and asbestos-related diseases. The longer the exposure, the more dangerous asbestos becomes.
Dangers Of Asbestos
This section will portray the dangers of asbestos in two parts:
• The health hazards
• The environmental effects
Health risks of asbestos
Numerous cancers and diseases associated with asbestos exposure stem from inhalation or ingestion.
Lung cancer and mesothelioma
Lung cancer is one of the major or common health hazards associated with asbestos exposure. It stems from asbestos fibres getting trapped in the lungs and giving rise to the growth of cancer tumours inside the lungs. A medical practitioner can diagnose lung cancer through a chest x-ray and lung functionality test.
Mesothelioma is a cancer of the outer lining of the lungs, also known as the pleura. It is a rare form of cancer also linked to exposure to asbestos. Individuals that work in mining, excavation, and construction sites are at higher risk of developing mesothelioma.
Lung cancer and mesothelioma symptoms include shortness of breath, wheezing, severe cough, and coughing up blood or rusty-coloured mucus.
Pleural thickening and pleural plaques
These are asbestos-related diseases that are neither cancerous nor malignant. However, their presence could contribute to lung cancer. These two diseases affect the pleura of the lungs and could prevent air movement into the lungs.
They also cause further pulmonary complications or impairment of the lungs. The pleural plaques and thickening symptoms include difficult or painful breathing, chest pain, and wheezing.
Skin cancer
Skin cancer is another malignant disease associated with getting exposed to asbestos. It stems from touching asbestos regularly (especially at one's workplace) without using personal protective equipment like hand gloves and body suits, which could result in asbestos particles getting on the skin. Asbestos fibres are highly toxic and can irritate the skin.
Exposure to asbestos onto the skin could cause the growth of warts which become malignant and lead to skin cancer. Additionally, asbestos has sharp needle-like fibres that can easily penetrate the skin and cause severe dermal inflammation or dermatitis. Asbestos-related warts or skin cancer symptoms include pain, rashes, redness or discolouration, skin tingling, and itchiness or burning sensations.
Blood poisoning and toxicity
Another effect of asbestos on one's health is blood poisoning. Exposure could result in a high concentration of asbestos in the bloodstream, which is toxic to overall health. The presence of toxic minerals like asbestos in the blood could give rise to a number of diseases of the blood. It could also increase the severity of underlying health conditions or diagnosed diseases.
Effects of asbestos on the environment
Air pollution
When friable asbestos fibres become airborne, they get suspended in the air for a long period which causes air contamination. Asbestos contaminants or fibres get suspended longer in the air as they are not biodegradable. Additionally, since they are light, they can travel by wind for a considerable distance from the source of exposure and cause cross-contamination.
Water pollution
Asbestos fibres suspended in air can settle on a water surface and causes contamination. This contamination makes the water unsafe for any form of consumption. Aside from ingestion, using asbestos-contaminated water to bathe or wash hands could lead to skin cancer or other skin diseases.
Land pollution
Asbestos fibres could also settle on soils and cause pollution. Naturally occurring asbestos present in soil and rock formations have minimal threats. However, the fibres could pollute the immediate environment if disturbed during construction or excavation. All of the above factors make asbestos dangerous to health and the environment.
How To Minimise The Dangers Of Asbestos
Identify the areas contaminated with asbestos
If you intend on commencing any activity that might give rise to asbestos exposure, like a renovation or construction project, be sure to have an asbestos specialist inspect the materials for the presence of asbestos. Doing this will ensure the safety and health of the tradespeople undertaking the project. Identification of asbestos ensures that safe methods and techniques are employed.
Get trained on how to handle asbestos safely
Getting the required training on how to handle asbestos safely is advisable, as doing this would help minimise its dangers. Also, ensure that any removalists you commission to remove asbestos for your property are well equipped with the knowledge of asbestos and are equally licensed to handle it.
Isolate or seal off the contaminated areas
After detecting the presence of asbestos or identifying materials containing asbestos, isolate the materials or limit access to the contaminated areas. If possible, seal off the place or quarantine the contaminated items. In addition, displaying a warning sign or label would ensure that no one tampers with the asbestos and further eliminates its dangers.
Get rid of asbestos
Getting rid of asbestos will help to eliminate the dangers associated with it. If you can, swap out all materials containing asbestos with safer alternatives. A licensed asbestos professional should properly dispose of all asbestos materials at the authorised dump sites.
To better eliminate the threats of asbestos, it is advised to leave removal to the specialists or professionals as they are equipped with the right tools and methods. Asbestos, even if identified and labelled, if not taken out, could still pose a threat now or in the future.
Ensure your space is safe
Conduct a thorough clean-up with the right tools and use safe techniques to remove any asbestos dust or particulars left behind after the removal. Also, carry out an indoor air quality assessment to ensure that the air in your space is safe. Taking extreme measures to decontaminate your space after an asbestos removal would further help to eliminate the dangers of asbestos.
Getting Exposed To Asbestos Is Dangerous
Asbestos, especially when the fibres are airborne, threatens human health and the environment. Avoiding all forms of asbestos exposure is the best way to stay safe from its dangers. Therefore, contact your local asbestos removal company to handle all your asbestos-related problems and eliminate any potential health risks it might give rise to.
If you or anyone close by has been exposed to asbestos, reach out to the National Asbestos Exposure Register for more information about asbestos-related diseases.
David
