Asbestos
has many uses due to its inherent properties. Asbestos is a very strong and
durable material that is also very flexible. Asbestos has the ability to
insulate because it does not conduct heat. Moreover, asbestos is relatively
chemically unreactive. Due to these properties, asbestos has commercial value.
In
ancient times, asbestos was used mostly as a novelty. For instance, Charlemagne
had a tablecloth, made seemingly of asbestos, with which he would entertain
dinner guests when ‘cleaning’ it by throwing it into the fireplace, where it
would not be burnt. Asbestos’ fine fibrous crystals were also used
as decoration or adornment of homes and even jewelry. Ancient Egyptians,
Persians, and also Romans and Greeks used asbestos as funeral shroud to protect
the bodies of their dead throughout time.
During
the rise of industrialization, asbestos became more and more common. This was
because there was a need for thermal insulation with many of the new
technologies such as the steam engine and machines used for manufacturing.
Asbestos use peaked in the 1950s, at which point it was being used in about 3
000 products.
The
health effects of asbestos have been known for over a century but asbestos was
such a versatile product that they were ignored for many years. As its health
consequences began to become more noticeable, asbestos use waned with the push
to ban the substance. However, today, asbestos is still used in the developing world
and even in some developed countries like the United States where it is still
not banned.
Asbestos’
contemporary uses include:
•
Insulation around windows, gaskets, furnaces, pipes etc.
Asbestos
fibres act as insulation to heat, electricity, and even sound. For this reason,
asbestos was used to insulate homes, to insulate industrial products like
furnaces and engines. It is also used as sealants around gaskets and windows in
buildings and homes.
Asbestos
had many military applications as a result of its insulating capabilities so
many veterans were exposed and have developed asbestos-related diseases.
•
Reinforcement for building products like tiles, cement, etc.
Asbestos is a very strong mineral
that is used to reinforce products. Because of its durability, it is used in
many building products such as ceiling and floor tiles, fireproof drywall,
house siding, and cement products like cement sheet roofing.
•
Fire resistant products like drywall, fabrics, etc.
Asbestos
was used in fire blankets and outfits for firefighters to protect them from
heat and flame. Asbestos was also used in housing materials as a way to
‘fireproof’ private homes and public buildings like schools, municipal
buildings, and even hospitals.
Despite
its health effects, asbestos was even marketed as a ‘miracle mineral’ that
would save lives due to its inflammability. Instead, though, it takes lives due
to its carcinogenicity.
•
Making products like vehicle brakes, transmissions, and clutches
more durable
Asbestos
is also used in car manufacturing to make products
like vehicle brakes, transmissions, and clutches last longer.
Asbestos in your home
Any home made
before 2000 should be checked for asbestos before renovation occurs because
distributing asbestos without taking necessary precautions can have dangerous
health consequences for you or the contractor working in your home.
Resources:
Asbestos Resource Center. (2013). History
of Asbestos. Retrieved June 2013 from http://www.asbestosresource.com/history/.
The Mesothelioma Center.
(2013). Mining & Manufacturing History Part II. Retrieved June 2013 from http://www.asbestos.com/asbestos/history/part-2.php.
Oracle Solutions. (2013). History of
Asbestos. Retrieved June 2013 from
http://www.oracleasbestos.com/history-of-asbestos/.
US Environmental Protection Agency.
(2013). Where can I find asbestos? Retrieved June 2013 from
http://www2.epa.gov/asbestos/learn-about-asbestos#find.
United States Department of
the Interior. (ND). Asbestos: Geology, Mineralogy, Mining, and Uses. Retrieved
June 2013 from http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2002/of02-149/of02-149.pdf.
They are not there in putting bad contractors in Jail under the criminal code 217.1 -219. The Government has been negligent in its fiduciary duty to the public it represents! since the “Westray Bill”was interduced and put into affect Bill C-45, the “Westray Bill”, it passed Nov 7, 2003. They have attempted to hide the fact Asbestos is toxic.We have open pit Asbestos mines that have been closed down in this country people are riding dirt bikes ATV's and camping in the area of these mines they are not fenced off with no-go zones or posting of danger signs .The legacy of misery and death continues.And the fact WCB is giving ct scans to people that have already been diagnosed is a waste of time.Because in their words by the time you've been diagnosed its too late!The minute WCB becomes part of your case you give up your right to sue the employer.But what they don't tell is the minute your claim is denied and your appeals are exhausted you regain the right to sue the employer because its no longer part of WCB and they are not protected under the ACT.
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