You’ve heard of asbestos before, even if you’ve never encountered it (at least we hope you haven’t). However, in our experience at Remtech Environmental, most people know very little about asbestos, including what it really is and the specific reasons it is harmful.
Today, we’d like to touch on four interesting facts about asbestos that you may not know, but probably should.
- Asbestos refers to six naturally occurring minerals. Most people think asbestos is just one material, but it is actually the term for several silicate minerals, including chrysotile (white asbestos), amosite (brown asbestos), crocidolite (blue asbestos), tremolite, actinolite, and anthophyllite. These kinds of minerals form on metamorphic rocks.
- There is no “safe” level of asbestos exposure. Some harmful materials are only dangerous in certain concentrations, but asbestos is harmful regardless of the amount of exposure. It’s important to remove disturbed asbestos right away while taking the right precautions, and only accredited technicians should do it.
- Asbestos can scar the lungs. When asbestos is inhaled, some of the fibers can penetrate and scar the lungs, causing respiratory issues and certain diseases, such as mesothelioma and lung cancer.
- Asbestos fell out of use decades ago, but it’s still around. You might already know that the EPA banned most products containing asbestos back in 1989, but you may not know that plenty of homes still have asbestos. If your home was built before 1985, it may be at risk of asbestos.
Undoubtedly, asbestos is harmful, but if you think you have asbestos in your home, don’t panic. Our team can provide asbestos abatement to restore your peace of mind. Contact us today.