Asbestos is a fiber bundle product, and with further processing and distribution, the fiber becomes finer and a health hazard. Tiny fibers invisible to the naked eye are more hazardous because, when inhaled can reach the deepest lung parts.
Compared to straight amphibole fibers like crocidolite, amosite, and chrysotile, asbestos exposes deadly health implications to frequent inhalers.
The fiber inhalation coming from asbestos can cause mesothelioma and lung cancer. Asbestos can also cause gastrointestinal and laryngeal cancer, but fewer incidences are reported than lung cancer. Since asbestos-related health conditions can show a latency of 20-40 years, one can experience its symptoms long after being exposed.
Inhaling a substantial amount of asbestos over a long time can scar lung tissues and may result in breathlessness, disability, and eventually death. X-rays can detect minor changes after a person is exposed for a long time, even without any evident physical symptoms.
Smokers are more prone to get lung cancer with asbestos inhalation because of increased risk factors.
Chrysotile imposes less risk of developing mesothelioma, which is the cancer of the pleura and peritoneum. However, exposure to amosite and crocidolite increases the risk of developing pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma. Most people develop mesothelioma cases after 30 years of exposure and rarely after fifteen years of inhalation or exposure incidences.
Mostly no safe level of any cancer-causing substances inhalation of exposure has been issued. However, the amount of asbestos inhalation significantly increases health risks. So, inhalation of a high amount of asbestos means high risk.
Asbestos is released in the air, especially during:
- Direct action on ACM like boring, cutting, brushing, sanding, etc.
- Removal and inspection of ACM from workplaces.
- Maintenance of vehicles, equipment, or workplaces.
- Demolition or renovation of ACM-containing buildings.
- When non-friable ACM undergoes extensive weathering, it releases a high amount of asbestos fibers into the air.
