Asbestos is a word that United Kingdom residents have come to associate with danger. The material was used extensively as a building material in the United Kingdom for thirty years in the late twentieth century and was well known for its fireproofing and insulation properties. In the 1980s asbestos was extensively removed from those same buildings after links were found between asbestos inhalation and cancer.

When left undisturbed, asbestos is perfectly safe. It is only after asbestos has been damaged or harmed in some way that microfibres break off from the larger mass and become airborne. When asbestos is inhaled it can lead to a wide variety of dangerous health conditions like asbestosis, mesothelioma and lung cancer. As many as four thousand people die from asbestos exposure every year.

Asbestos has been used for a lot of different things and has been used regularly for centuries. Anthropologists believe that civilizations as long ago as the ancient Greeks used asbestos regularly. The reason asbestos has been so popular among contractors and builders for so many centuries is that the material can resist erosion and heat. It also stands up against fire, and for a while, clothing manufacturers would weave it into clothing.

There are several subsets of asbestos though these subsets all fall under one of two types. The Environmental Protection Agency in the United States uses this definition for asbestos: “a naturally occurring group of fibrous minerals that are very strong can be woven, and resist heat and most chemicals.” Asbestos does not look very pretty. Most of the time asbestos looks quite a lot like regular insulation for attics or like large masses of dryer lint.

Asbestos is not harmful immediately and, if in tact, poses no threat. This is why many contractors and builders have opted to simply seal off the portions of buildings that have asbestos installed instead of removing it entirely. Sealing off the asbestos is more cost effective than removing it. If, however, the material has become damaged, it is important to have it removed as quickly as possible. Microscopic airborne fibres can be inhaled and take up residence in the lungs. These fibres can stay in a person’s lungs for decades and lead to serious health problems.

It can take as long as forty years to develop any symptoms of asbestos exposure, and the amount of asbestos that you have been exposed to will determine how sick a person will get. Unfortunately diagnosis of asbestos exposure is difficult as the symptoms are the same as those of other illnesses. It is important to let a doctor know if you have spent time in buildings built before 1980 should you start feeling ill. This can help make sure that your illness is properly diagnosed.

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