Asbestos

Asbestos is a group of naturally occurring minerals whose crystals form into long, thin fibers. Its unique properties include tensile strength, flexibility, acoustical properties and resistance to fire, thermal, chemical and electrical conditions. For these reasons, asbestos has been widely used as insulation in buildings.

While certain applications of asbestos use in buildings have been banned since the 1970s, there are still over 3,000 asbestos-containing building materials that are legally available and in use in the United States.

Asbestos is a known carcinogen, and if inhaled can cause diseases such as mesothelioma, asbestosis and lung cancer. The risk of contracting these diseases increases with the duration of exposure and also for smokers.

Potential exposure to asbestos occurs when building demolitions, maintenance, repairs, renovations or other activities remove, disturb or damage the Asbestos-Containing Material (ACM), causing a release of asbestos fibers. The presence of asbestos in a building does not necessarily mean that the health of its occupants is endangered. In fact, exposure is unlikely as long as the ACM remains intact and undisturbed.

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