Risk limit for asbestos exposure

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Risk limit for asbestos exposure

What is asbestos?

Asbestos is one name given to six minerals that occur naturally in the environment as a collection of fibers that can be separated into thin and long-lasting yarns for use in commercial and industrial applications. These fibers are resistant to heat, fire and chemicals and do not conduct electricity. For this reason, asbestos has been used widely in many industries. Additional minerals such as asbestos are found in the natural environment, including erionite.

Chemically, asbestos minerals consist of silicate compounds, meaning they contain silicon and oxygen atoms in their molecular structure.

Asbestos minerals are divided into two major groups: Asbestos serpentine and also asbestos amphibol. Serpentine asbestos includes chrysotile minerals, which have long curly fibers that can be woven. Chrysotile asbestos is a form that has been used most widely in commercial applications. Amfibol asbestos includes actinolite minerals, tremolite, antophilis, crocidolite, and amosite. Amphibole asbestos has straight, needle-like fibers that are more fragile than serpentine asbestos and are more limited in their ability to be made.

How is asbestos used?

Asbestos has been mined and has been used commercially in North America since the late 1800s. Its use increased rapidly during World War II. Since then, asbestos has been used in many industries. For example, the building and construction industries have used it to strengthen cement and plastic as well as for insulation, roofing, fire resistance and sound absorption. The shipbuilding industry has used asbestos to isolate boilers, steam pipes and hot water pipes. The automotive industry uses asbestos in brake shoes and vehicle clutch bearings. Asbestos has also been used on ceilings and floor tiles; paints, coatings and adhesives; and plastic. In addition, asbestos has been found in garden products containing vermiculite and some crayons containing talc.

In the late 1970s, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) banned the use of asbestos in wall-mounted compound compounds as well as gas fires because asbestos fibers in these products can be released into the environment during use. In addition, manufacturers of electric hair dryers voluntarily stopped using asbestos in their products in 1979. In 1989, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) banned all new uses of asbestos; however, the use developed before 1989 is still permitted. The EPA also stipulates regulations that require a school system to inspect buildings for damaged asbestos and also to eliminate or reduce asbestos exposure to residents by removing asbestos or wrapping them.

In June 2000, the CPSC concluded that the risk of children's exposure to asbestos fibers in crayons was very low. The US manufacturer of crayons agreed to remove powder from their products.

In August 2000, the EPA conducted a series of tests to evaluate the risks to consumers of adverse health effects associated with exposure to vermiculite contaminated with asbestos. EPA concluded that exposure to asbestos from several vermiculite products only caused minimal health risks. EPA recommends that consumers reduce the low risk associated with occasional vermiculite use during gardening activities by limiting the amount of dust produced during the use of vermiculite. In particular, EPA recommends that consumers use vermiculite outdoors or in a well-ventilated area; keep moist vermiculite when using it, avoid carrying dust from vermiculite to the house in the wear and use mixed potting soil, which tends to produce dust.

The regulations described above and also other actions, coupled with widespread public concern about the health hazards of asbestos, have resulted in a significant annual decline in US asbestos use. Domestic consumption of asbestos amounted to around 803,000 metric tons in 1973, but it has dropped to around 360 metric tons in 2015.

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What are the health hazards of asbestos exposure?

People can be exposed to asbestos in their workplaces, their communities, or their homes. If the product containing asbestos has been disrupted, small asbestos fibers are released into the air. When asbestos fibers are inhaled, they may be trapped in the lungs and remain there for a long time. Over time, these fibers can accumulate and will cause scarring and inflammation, which can affect breathing and cause serious health problems.

Mesothelioma cases have also been seen in individuals without exposure to asbestos due to work that lives close to asbestos mines.

What factors influence the risk of developing asbestos-related diseases?

Several factors can help determine how asbestos exposure affects a person, including:

- Dosage (how much asbestos is exposed to someone)

- Duration (how long has someone been exposed)

- Size, shape and chemical composition of asbestos fibers

- Source of exposure

- Individual risk factors, such as smoking and pre-existing lung disease

- Genetic factors, such as having a germline mutation in BAP1

Although all forms of asbestos are considered dangerous, there are various types of asbestos fibers can be associated with different health risks. For example, the results of several studies show that amphibian forms of asbestos may be more dangerous than chrysotile, especially for the risk of mesothelioma, because they tend to stay in the lungs for a sufficiently longer period of time.

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How does smoking affect risk?

Many studies have shown that the combination of smoking and asbestos exposure is very dangerous. Smokers who are also exposed to asbestos have a risk of lung cancer that is greater than the individual risk of asbestos and smoking added together. There is evidence that quitting smoking will reduce the risk of lung cancer among workers exposed to asbestos. Smoking combined with exposure to asbestos does not seem to increase the risk of mesothelioma. However, people who are exposed to asbestos at work at any time during their lives or who suspect they might be exposed should not smoke.

How are asbestos-related diseases detected?

Individuals who have been exposed to (or suspected of being exposed to) asbestos fibers in the workplace, through the environment, or at home through family contact should notify their doctor about their exposure history and whether they experience symptoms or not. The symptoms of asbestos-related disease may not be clear for decades after exposure. It is very important to see a doctor if any of the following symptoms appear:

- Shortness of breath, wheezing, or hoarseness

- Continuous cough that worsens over time

- Blood in phlegm (fluid) coughs from the lungs

- Pain or tightness in the chest

- Difficulty swallowing

- Swelling of the neck or face

- Loss of appetite

- Weight loss

- Fatigue or anemia

A thorough physical examination, including chest x-rays and lung function tests, may be recommended. Chest X-ray is currently the most common tool used to detect asbestos-related diseases. Although chest X-rays cannot detect asbestos fibers in the lungs, they can help identify the initial signs of lung disease resulting from asbestos exposure.