What are the Dangers of Contact with Asbestos?
Asbestos fibers are individually too small for the naked eye to see. Although they are pliable, they are inherently crystalline in nature. These crystal structures wreak havoc on the body when inhaled. Two diseases have been proven without a doubt to be the sole result of exposure to asbestos. Mesothelioma is a form of cancer resulting from asbestos particle inhalation. The most common site for this cancer development is in the pleura, the outer lining of the lungs. There is no effective treatment for this disease and most people have less than a year to live once it’s fully developed. Asbestosis is the scarring of lung tissue as a result of long-term asbestos inhalation. It produces extreme shortness of breath and causes mucus secretions in the lung, similar to pneumonia. This is not fatal, though it is incurable and debilitating. How is Asbestos Made? Asbestos is not made, it is mined. Different colors of asbestos can be found in mines all across the world. White asbestos, called chr