Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral made up of six different minerals. It was widely used industrially and commercially in the construction and manufacturing sectors up until the 1990s. The fibres were a popular resource as they were extremely resistant to heat, fire, chemicals and did not conduct electricity.
Asbestos fibres are a known carcinogenic. It wasn’t discovered until it was too late for manufacturing and asbestos mine workers how dangerous asbestos exposure really is. Breathing in and inhaling asbestos dust causes the tiny fibres to become trapped in your lungs. Over time, this causes significant health concerns including different forms of cancer.
People may be exposed to asbestos in their workplace, in their community, or in their home. Once a material that contains asbestos is disturbed, the small asbestos fibres are released into the air and become airborne. This is when humans are at risk of being exposed to asbestos.
The longer a person is exposed to asbestos fibres, the higher the risk of the person developing an asbestos-related disease. There is no ‘safe’ amount of asbestos exposure – once the fibres become trapped in the lung cavities, they can’t be removed.
Inhaling airborne asbestos fibres has been directly linked to many lung diseases. Asbestos related diseases include:
- Asbestosis – this is when the lung tissue becomes scarred. Prolonged asbestos exposure causes lung tissue scarring and shortness of breath. Often asbestosis can range from mild to severe, and won’t show up until years after the asbestos exposure.
- Mesothelioma – a rare type of cancer that develops decades after asbestos exposure. It forms in the linings of the lungs, abdomen, heart or testes, and is often untreatable.
- Pleural plaques – is the thickening of the membranes around the lungs. They develop a chalky film around them and are often linked to increasing the chances of developing further diseases.
- Lung, larynx and ovary cancer.
For more information on asbestos related diseases and symptoms, watch the video below.
