What are the associated health effects?
Asbestos fibers can cause serious health problems if inhaled. The tiny fibers can impair normal lung functions, and increase the risk of developing lung cancer, mesothelioma (a cancer of the chest and abdominal linings), or asbestosis (irreversible lung scarring that can be fatal). Symptoms do not surface immediately but the long term risks include chest and abdominal cancers and lung diseases. Symptoms may not be present anywhere from 20 to 30 years after the first exposure. Severe health problems from exposure have been experienced by workers who held jobs in industries such as shipbuilding, mining, milling, and fabricating.
