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ASBESTOS


Chrysotile Asbestos Fibers under Microscope (Please refer Image 1)


Where danger lurks Asbestos ! Learn the facts

What Is Asbestos ?
The word ASBESTOS comes from the Greek meaning inexhaustible or indestructible. Asbestos fibers do not dissolve in water and are resistant to heat, fire, chemicals and biological degradation.
Because of these physical properties, asbestos has been used extensively in construction and many other industries, during the last century. Asbestos is commonly found in a variety of man-made products including insulation, heat-resistant fabrics, ceiling and floor tiles, roof shingles, cement, water and sewerage pipes, automotive brakes and clutches.
From a geological or technical point of view, asbestos is the common name for a group of naturally occurring fibrous silicate minerals of amphibole or serpentine origin. These are made up of thin but strong durable fibers. Asbestos fibers are generally brittle and often have a rod- or needle-like shape, although some types like chrysotile asbestos fibers are flexible and curved.


Why Is Asbestos Of Concern ?
Asbestos is a potential health concern because long term, chronic inhalation exposure to high levels of asbestos can cause lung diseases such as asbestosis, mesothelioma, and / or lung cancer.

Photomicrograph Showing Asbestos Fibers Lodged In The Lungs (Please refer Image 2)

Electron Micrograph of Lung Cancer Tissue (Please refer image 3)

Photomicrograph Showing Scarring Of Lung Tissue Due To Asbestosis (Please refer image 4)

Asbestosis is the scarring of the lungs due to the lodging of asbestos fibers in the small air pathways. This scar-like tissue does not expand and contract like normal lung tissue and so breathing becomes difficult. Blood flow to the lung may also be decreased, and this may cause enlargement of the heart. Asbestosis is a serious disease and can eventually lead to disability and death. According to an estimate, within next ten years, over 550,000 people may be affected by asbestos related diseases.

What Happens To Asbestos Products When It Enters The Environment ?
Because asbestos is a mineral, asbestos fibers are relatively stable in the environment. Asbestos fibers do not evaporate into the air or dissolve in water. However, pieces of fibers can end up in air and water from the weathering of natural deposits and the wearing down of manufactured asbestos products. Asbestos containing materials that can be crushed into a powder is termed “friable asbestos.” When asbestos containing materials become friable, there is a chance that asbestos fibers can become suspended in air. It is under these conditions that airborne asbestos fibers represent the most significant risk to human health.

For the inhabitant of a building or for workers in a work place, the primary hazard from asbestos containing materials (ACM) comes from the airborne particles.

What Is Being Done By Regulatory Authorities?
ILO expressed its views seeking all 177 member countries to ban asbestos. In 1989, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the USA established a ban on new uses of asbestos. The EPA regulates the release of asbestos from factories and during building demolition or renovation to prevent asbestos from getting into the environment.

Unlike many other developed or developing countries the environmental and regulatory authorities in India have not embarked on a major drive to eliminate or curb the dangers of asbestos exposure.

What can be done by the General public and Building Societies?
They should ensure that no asbestos containing material is utilized for any new construction or product they procure. For the existing dwelling a walkway survey should be performed by an asbestos specialist. Subsequently bulk material sampling should be conducted from the suspect materials. These samples should be analyzed in the special asbestos laboratories by means of Polarized Light Microscopy (PLM). For any location where airborne asbestos particles are suspected, the air should be sampled using purpose built vacuum pump an the collected dust fibers should be analyzed by phase-contrast-microscope.

It is urged to take all precaution to avoid asbestos exposure. Precaution is certainly better than cure, particularly in this case, as there seems to be no cure for asbestos!