What Is Asbestos?

This toxic, deadly material is made from naturally occurring asbestos fibres. These fibres are what make up the asbestos product and cannot be damaged by heat, electricity, or long term corrosion. This makes them an effective insulator, but will also pose a serious health risk. Raw asbestos materials are grown all over the world, though the main exporters of it are Russia, China, and Kazakhstan (with Russia making over half of the world’s supply). You can find asbestos minerals in huge quantities, it isn’t something that needs to be looked for very long. The presence of asbestos can also be found in other materials.

A lot of people believe the bundles of fibres are man-made, but, as we’ve established, they are not. The term is used to describe six bundles of fibres that make up these once-popular construction materials. These fibrous minerals are primarily made up of silicon and oxygen, but will often contain other elements.

Due to its insulating properties, vast amounts of asbestos were used before it was banned in 2000. It was used in buildings to insulate them and was also added to fire-retardant coatings, bricks, pipes, fireplace cement, and acid-resistant gaskets. These are just a few examples of what asbestos was used for, there are hundreds more, highlighting the scale of the problem.

These once used insulation materials can cause, sadly, an incredible amount of illnesses and symptoms. The effects of exposure can cause anything from shortness of breath to asbestos-related cancers. The effects from exposure are caused because once inhaled, they create scarring on the lungs which can cause serious issues over time.

In general, there are four main illnesses that one can suffer from after coming into contact with asbestos. These will take time to develop and can often be fatal. To date, 20 asbestos-exposed workers a week die from asbestos-related illness. Per year, that’s around 5000 individuals with asbestos-related deaths, which is more than those killed on the road.

The four most common asbestos diseases:

Mesothelioma – This is a type of cancer that affects the lining of the lungs and chest cavity.

Asbestos-related lung cancer – The same as regular lung cancer, which can be caused by cigarette smoke. For every death by Mesothelioma, there is one for lung cancer.

Asbestosis in the chest – This is a scarring of the lungs and is caused by heavy exposure to asbestos.

Pleural Thickening – The pleura, which is the lining of the lungs, thickens and swells which can squeeze the lungs, causing discomfort.

If you suspect that asbestos materials have been disturbed and are airborne, you need to be extremely careful. These airborne asbestos fibres are invisible and will be released into the air. To give you an idea of size, they are roughly 10x smaller than the width of a human hair.

Asbestos materials can linger in the air for anything between 48-72 hours and will eventually settle. However, even a light wind can further disturb the fibres and cause an additional risk of you getting asbestos cancers and diseases if you’re exposed to it for a prolonged period of time. This is why it is so important to contact our team who will put you in touch with asbestos professionals who can dispose of it. Otherwise, you’re never going to be 100% that you aren’t vulnerable to asbestos exposure.

Disposing of asbestos in buildings is a complicated and delicate procedure. This, among other health risks, is why it has to be done by asbestos professionals. Once the asbestos blankets have been removed, they must be packed in UN-approved packaging and have a CDG (Carriage of Dangerous Goods) label placed on them. They are often double wrapped with a red inner bag and a clear outer bag.

The waste is then transported by people with a waste carrier license who will segregate the asbestos from other general waste, or keep it in a safe that can be locked. It is then taken to a licensed waste disposal site.