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Asbestos (/ æ s ˈ b ɛ s t ə s, æ z-,-t ɒ s / ass-BES-təs, az-, -toss) [1] is a group of naturally occurring, toxic, carcinogenic and fibrous silicate minerals.There are six types, all of which are composed of long and thin fibrous crystals, each fibre (particulate with length substantially greater than width) [2] being composed of many microscopic "fibrils" that can be released into ...
In the late 19th century and early 20th century, asbestos was considered an ideal material for use in the construction industry. It was known to be an excellent fire retardant, to have high electrical resistance, and was inexpensive and easy to use.
Asbestos litigation is the longest, most expensive mass tort in U.S. history, involving more than 8,000 defendants and 700,000 claimants. [1] By the early 1990s, "more than half of the 25 largest asbestos manufacturers in the US, including Amatex, Carey-Canada, Celotex, Eagle-Picher, Forty-Eight Insulations, Manville Corporation, National Gypsum, Standard Insulation, Unarco, and UNR Industries ...
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Monday finalized a rule that would ban using and importing cancer-causing asbestos, a material still used in some vehicles and in some industrial ...
Due to asbestos cement's imitation of more expensive materials such as wood siding and shingles, brick, slate, and stone, the product was marketed as an affordable renovation material. Asbestos cement competed with aluminum alloy, available in large quantities after WWII, and the reemergence of wood clapboard and vinyl siding in the mid to late ...
Handlers of asbestos materials must have a B-Class license for bonded asbestos and an A-Class license for friable asbestos. The town of Wittenoom, in Western Australia was built around a blue asbestos mine. The entire town continues to be contaminated, and has been disincorporated, allowing local authorities to remove references to Wittenoom ...
Construction workers who inhale asbestos from contaminated building materials such as paint, spackling, roof shingles, masonry compounds, and drywall may get asbestosis. The amount and length of an individual's exposure to asbestos are the primary factors that determine the level of risk.
The use of asbestos as a material blossomed in Ancient Greece, especially when the fireproofing qualities of the material came to light. Many scholars believe the word asbestos comes from an Ancient Greek term, ἄσβεστος ( ásbestos ), meaning "inextinguishable" or "unquenchable". [ 7 ]