Mesothelioma – Asbestos

Asbestos is a mineral that is composed of silicon, oxygen, hydrogen and various positively charged metal ions. The three most common types of asbestos are: chrysotile, amosite and crocidolite. Chrysotile fibers are pliable and cylindrical, and often arranged in bundles. Amosite and crocidolite fibers are like tiny needles. Unlike other minerals, which crumble into dust when crushed, asbestos simply breaks up into fine fibers which are so small that they cannot be seen by the naked eye.

Although when inhaled asbestos can cause chronic respiratory disease, it has been used widely in buildings. The reasons why asbestos has been so widely used is because of its appealing characteristics. It is strong, but flexible and fire retardant, it doesn’t conduct electricity, is a good insulator and resists corrosion. There is no other material that can combine all these characteristics. However, the inhalation of asbestos can cause a range of illnesses, including lung cancer, mesothelioma and asbestosis.

Asbestos has been used since the beginning of the 20th century and many products such as insulation, plastics, brakes, floor tiles, sealants, cement sheets, just to mention a few, contained asbestos. In the late 1980s, it became apparent that asbestos was a health hazard and an asbestos ban was put in place which was to phase out existing asbestos products, including the replacement of asbestos insulation and other building materials made of asbestos.