Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral fiber. It has a high tensile strength, the ability to be woven, and is resistant to heat and most chemicals. Because it has these properties, it has been valued for centuries by people of all cultures to strengthen objects and to provide heat insulation and fire resistance. In fact, asbestos has been used since the days of the Ancient Greek empire.

Uses for Asbestos

In recent years, asbestos fibers have been used in a wide range of manufactured goods, including fire retardant coatings, concrete, bricks, pipes and fireplace cement, heat, fire, and acid resistant gaskets, pipe insulation, ceiling insulation, fireproof drywall, flooring, roofing, lawn furniture, roofing shingles, ceiling and floor tiles, paper and cement products, textiles, coatings, and friction products such as automobile clutch, brake and transmission parts.

However, long term exposure to Asbestos can cause serious health risks, including the deadly lung diseases mesothelioma and asbestosis.

Health affects of Asbestos

Asbestos exposure becomes a health concern when high concentrations of asbestos fibers are inhaled over a long time period. Prolonged exposure and inhalation of asbestos fibers can cause mesothelioma and asbestosis, which are potentially fatal lung diseases.

Asbestosis is a chronic inflammatory medical condition affecting the tissue of the lungs. It occurs after long-term, heavy exposure to asbestos. Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that is almost always caused by previous exposure to asbestos.

In both diseases, the asbestos fibers become lodged in the lungs and cause inflammation, shortness of breath, and other problems. It is not possible to remove the asbestos fibers from the lungs once they are inhaled, and there is no known cure for either of these diseases.

How do I Identify Asbestos?

Asbestos can only be positively identified using a specific type of microscope. There are several types of asbestos fibers. The current federal definition of asbestos is the asbestiform varieties of: chrysotile (serpentine); crocidolite (riebeckite); amosite (cummingtonite/grunerite); anthophyllite; tremolite; and actinolite.

Why is Asbestos still used?

Even though asbestos can cause serious health problems, including lung cancer, mesothelioma, asbestosis, and even death, it is still used in the US and other countries because it has insulation and tensile properties that are not found anywhere else.

Asbestos is currently used in products including roofing materials, brake pads, and cement pipe often used in distributing water to communities. However, current regulations in the US restrict where and how asbestos can be used. There are also many items still in use that date from before the EPA regulations were enacted.

Why is Asbestos regulated?

Asbestos is regulated for safety reasons. Prolonged exposure to asbestos can cause mesothelioma, asbestosis, or other problems.

In 1974, Congress passed the Safe Drinking Water Act. This law requires EPA to determine safe levels of chemicals in drinking water which do or may cause health problems. These levels are based on possible health risks and exposure, and are called Maximum Contaminant Level Goals (MLCG).

The MCLG for asbestos has been set at 7 million fibers per liter of water (M.L.) because EPA believes this level of protection would not cause any potential health problems.

Based on this MCLG, EPA has set an enforceable standard called a Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL). MCLs are set as close to the MCLGs as possible, considering the ability of public water systems to detect and remove contaminants using suitable treatment technologies.

The MCL has also been set at 7 M.L. because EPA believes, given present technology and resources, this is the lowest level to which water systems can reasonably be required to remove this contaminant should it occur in drinking water.

These drinking water standards and the regulations for ensuring these standards are met, are called National Primary Drinking Water Regulations. All public water supplies must abide by these regulations.