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For many people, asbestos brings to mind an image of unregulated worksites from the 1960s, or structures built in chaotic environments in the developing world. The reality is that asbestos is prevalent in a number of existing structures, and the danger it poses isn’t going anywhere.
In this article, we take a closer look at the topic, from why asbestos is a dangerous substance to the kinds of materials it can be found in. By the end, you should be convinced that asbestos is still absolutely something to watch out for today.
What is asbestos?
First, let’s learn more about what we’re dealing with. Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral with a number of properties that make it perfect for building with. It’s highly heat resistant, cheap, and an excellent insulator.
Asbestos was seen as such a seemingly perfect material, in fact, that it was used in a wide range of different structures, from homes to schools, for a long period of time.
While the dangers of asbestos were known from as early as around 1900, it wasn’t banned in the UK until 1999. This means that it can potentially be found in any structure that was built before then, but particularly those built between around 1960 and 1980.
Why is asbestos dangerous?
While asbestos is perfect for a wide range of building applications, it has one unfortunate downside: it’s highly carcinogenic. Those who inhale asbestos are at higher risk of a wide range of cancers including mesothelioma and lung cancer.
It can also cause a condition called asbestosis, which is essentially scarring of the lungs. The fact that these conditions can take decades to show up means that they can be particularly difficult to diagnose correctly, which often leads to further complications.
What materials is asbestos found in?
Asbestos can be found in a wide range of common building materials. These include insulation, roof structures (especially in garages), floor tiles, and drainpipes, among others.
Asbestos is often relatively safe while those materials are left alone. It’s when they’re broken up or disturbed, such as during a renovation, that the material can enter into the air and get into your lungs.
It can be very difficult to assess whether a material has asbestos in it through just a visual inspection. As a result, there are now a range of providers that offer testing services. If you find that you have a material containing asbestos in your property, it’s important that you take the right steps to get it removed, likely using the assistance of a specialist removal service.
Asbestos really isn’t something to play around with. The long-term negative effects it can have on your health are very serious, but luckily, it’s easy to avoid exposure nowadays. By taking care when completing renovation projects on old buildings, and testing any materials that you suspect may be hazardous, you can almost always successfully mitigate the risk of asbestos exposure in most modern contexts.
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