Asbestos
What is Asbestos and where is it found?
Asbestos is a fibrous mineral found in rocks and soil throughout the world. Asbestos has been used in architectural and construction applications because it is strong, durable, fire retardant, and an efficient insulator. Alone or in combination with other materials, asbestos can be fashioned into a variety of products that have numerous applications within the building industry- - such as flooring, walls, ceiling tiles, exterior housing shingles, insulation or fire retardant for heating and electrical systems, etc.
Is Asbestos dangerous?
Asbestos has been identified as a carcinogen. Once ingested, asbestos fibers lodge in the lungs. Because the material is durable, it persists in tissue and concentrates as repeated exposures occur over time. It can cause cancer of the lungs and stomach among workers and others who have experienced prolonged work related exposure to it. The health effects of lower exposures in the home are less certain; however, experts are unable to provide assurance that any level of exposure to asbestos fibers is completely safe.
Under what circumstances do Asbestos-containing products in the home become a health risk?
Home health risks arise when age, accidental damage, or normal cleaning, construction, or remodeling activities cause the asbestos- containing materials to crumble, flake, or deteriorate. When this happens, minute asbestos fibers are released into the air and can be inhaled through the nose and mouth. The fibers can cling to clothing, tools, and exposed flesh; cleanup operations can then dislodge the fibers and free them to circulate in the air.
Can I expect to find Asbestos in newer homes, and where in the home should I look for Asbestos
According to the EPA, many homes constructed in the United States during the past 20 years probably do not contain asbestos products. Places where asbestos sometimes can be found in the home include: around pipes and furnaces in older homes as insulating jackets and sheathing; in some vinyl flooring materials; in ceiling tiles; in exterior roofing, shingles, and siding; in some wallboards; mixed with other materials and troweled or sprayed around pipes, ducts, and beams; in patching compounds or textured paints; and in door gaskets on stoves, furnaces, and ovens.
How can I identify Asbestos in the home?
You may hire a qualified professional who is trained and experienced in working with asbestos to survey the home. A professional knows where to look for asbestos, how to take samples properly, and what corrective actions will be the most effective. EPA regional asbestos coordinators can provide information on qualified asbestos contractors and laboratories. In addition, the manufacturer of a product may be able to tell you, based on the model number and age of the product, whether or not the product contains asbestos.
What should I do if I think there is Asbestos in a home I have purchased?
Generally, if the material is in good condition and is in an area where it is not likely to be disturbed, leave the asbestos-containing material in place. Extreme care should be exercised in handling, cleaning, or working with material suspected of containing asbestos. If the material is likely to be banged, rubbed, handled, or taken apart—especially during remodeling—you should hire a trained contractor and reduce your exposure as much as possible. Common construction and remodeling operations can release varying amounts of asbestos fibers if the material being worked on contains asbestos. These operations include hammering, drilling, sawing, sanding, cutting, and otherwise shaping or molding the material. Routine cleaning operations (such as brushing, dusting, vacuum cleaning, scraping, and scrubbing) can also release hazardous fibers from asbestos-containing materials. Vinyl flooring products that contain asbestos can be cleaned in a conventional manner, but these products can release some asbestos fibers if they are vigorously sanded, ground, drilled, filed, or scraped.
The repair or removal of asbestos-containing products from a home is generally a complicated process. It depends on the amount of these products present, the percentage of asbestos they contain, and the manner in which asbestos is incorporated into the product. Total removal of even small amounts of asbestos-containing material is usually the last alternative. You should contact local, state, or federal health or consumer product agencies before deciding on a course of action. To assure safety and elimination of health hazards, asbestos repair or removal should be performed only by properly trained contractors.
Many home repair or remodeling contractors do not yet have the requisite tools, training; experience, or equipment to work safely with asbestos or to remove it from a home. Furthermore, asbestos removal workers are protected under federal regulations that specify special training, protective clothing, and special respirators for these workers.
Are exterior Asbestos shingles a health risk?
When properly installed on the exterior of a home, asbestos-containing products present little risk to human health. However, if siding is worn or damaged, spray painting it will help seal-in the fibers.
What is being done about the potential problem of exposure to Asbestos in the home?
Over the years, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) have taken several steps to reduce the consumer’s exposure to asbestos. Most recently these steps include requiring labeling of products containing asbestos and announcing a phased-in ban of most asbestos products by 1996. The following sources and publications can provide additional information about asbestos in the home.
You also may contact your state-specific indoor environments resources by clicking the following link State and Regional Contact Information
RESOURCES
This web site provides access to general information about asbestos and its health effects, commonly used asbestos acronyms and issues regarding asbestos in your home or school.
Asbestos is well recognized as a health hazard and is highly regulated. An estimated 1.3 million employees in construction and general industry face significant asbestos exposure on the job. Heaviest exposures occur in the construction industry, particularly during the removal of asbestos during renovation or demolition.
Asbestos: From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Center for Disease Control, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health: Asbestos
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry: ToxFAQs for Asbestos
This fact sheet is one in a series of summaries about hazardous substances and their health effects. This information is important because this substance may harm you. The effects of exposure to any hazardous substance depend on the dose, the duration, how you are exposed, personal traits and habits, and whether other chemicals are present.
National Cancer Institute: Fact Sheet—Asbestos Exposure: Questions and Answers
Asbestos News: Mesothelioma and Asbestos Information, Lawyers and Attorneys
The Asbestos Resource Center at AsbestosResource.com is an informational web site designed to be a comprehensive resource about asbestos, mesothelioma and asbestosis, including
The Asbestos Alliance is a coalition that includes companies, trade associations, and other parties seeking congressional legislation to solve America’s asbestos litigation crisis.