What Are the Side Effects of Asbestos Exposure?
Asbestos, composed of various metal cations, was previously widely used for insulation purposes inside buildings. The invisible asbestos fibers have since been recognized as potential health threats, because they can be inhaled and deposited in lung tissue. The Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, estimates that between 1940 and 1980, 27 million Americans workers were exposed to asbestos. The side effects of exposure depend on many factors: the duration of exposure, the concentration of asbestos fibers, and whether or not any protective gear was used.
