Asbestos related cancer

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Asbestos related cancer

What is asbestos?

Asbestos is the name given to six minerals that occur naturally in the environment as collections of fibers which can be separated into thin and durable threads 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 are silicate compounds, meaning they contain silicon and oxygen atoms in their molecular structure.

Asbestos minerals are divided into two major groups: Asbestos serpentine and asbestos amfibol. 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. Amphibol 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 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) prohibited the use of asbestos in wall-mounted compound compounds and gas fireplaces 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 establishes regulations that require a school system to inspect buildings for damaged asbestos and 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, 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 on clothes; and use mixed potting soil, which tends to produce dust.

The regulations described above and 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 is 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 cause scarring and inflammation, which can affect breathing and cause serious health problems.

Asbestos has been classified as a known human carcinogen (a substance that causes cancer) by the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). According to the IARC, there is sufficient evidence that asbestos causes mesothelioma (a cancer that is relatively rare in the thin membrane lining the chest and abdomen), and cancer of the lungs, larynx and ovaries. Although rare, mesothelioma is the most common form of cancer associated with asbestos exposure. There is limited evidence that asbestos exposure is associated with an increased risk of cancer of the stomach, pharynx and colorectum.

Asbestos exposure can also increase the risk of asbestosis (an inflammatory condition that affects the lungs which can cause shortness of breath, coughing, and permanent lung damage) and lung disorders that do not cause malignancy and pleurisy, including pleural plaques (changes membranes that surround the lungs), pleural thickening, and benign pleural effusions (collection of abnormal fluid between the thin layers of tissue that line the lungs and chest wall). Although pleural plaque is not a precursor to lung cancer, evidence shows that people with pleural disease caused by asbestos exposure may be at higher risk for lung cancer.

Erionite has also been classified as a human carcinogen known by IARC and by HHS. Currently it is not regulated by EPA.

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Who is at risk of developing asbestos-related diseases?

Everyone is exposed to asbestos at some time during his life. Low levels of asbestos are in air, water, and soil. However, most people don't get sick because of their exposure. People who get sick because of asbestos are usually those who are regularly exposed, most often in jobs where they work directly with material or through substantial environmental contact.

Since the early 1940s, millions of American workers have been exposed to asbestos. Health hazards from asbestos fibers have been recognized in workers exposed to the trade in shipbuilding, mining and grinding of asbestos, manufacturing of asbestos textiles and other asbestos products, insulation work in construction and building trade, and various other trades. Demolition workers, gypsum removers, asbestos removal workers, firefighters, and car workers can also be exposed to asbestos fibers. Studies evaluating the risk of cancer experienced by car mechanics exposed to asbestos through brake repair are limited, but overall evidence shows no safe level of asbestos exposure. As a result of better government regulations and work practices, current workers (those without prior exposure) tend to face less risk than those who have been exposed in the past.

Individuals involved in rescue, recovery, and cleaning on September 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center (WTC) in New York City were another group at risk of developing asbestos-related diseases. Because asbestos was used in the construction of the WTC North Tower, when buildings were attacked, hundreds of tons of asbestos were released into the atmosphere. Those most at risk include firefighters, police officers, paramedics, construction workers, and volunteers working in debris at Ground Zero. Others who are at risk include residents close to the WTC tower and those who attend nearby schools. These people need to be followed to determine the long-term health consequences of their exposure (10). However, it is important to note that any symptoms experienced by these people may be related to exposure to debris components other than asbestos.

Although it is clear that the health risks of asbestos exposure increase with heavier exposures and longer exposure times, researchers have found asbestos-related diseases in individuals with only short exposure. In general, those who develop asbestos-related diseases do not show signs of disease for a long time after exposure. It takes 10 to 40 years or more to show symptoms related to asbestos conditions.

There is some evidence that family members of workers exposed to asbestos face an increased risk of developing mesothelioma. This risk is thought to result from exposure to asbestos fibers brought home with workers' shoes, clothing, leather and hair. To reduce this exposure.