Asbestos Consulting
What is Asbestos?
Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral substance. Its fibers are flexible and offer heat and fire resistance, making asbestos perfect for insulation and to increase strength in construction materials.
The U. S. government recognizes 6 types of asbestos materials that was outlined in the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) of 1986. Asbestos is still legal in the U.S. as long as products do not contain more than 1 percent.
The Dangers of Asbestos
Since the early part of the 20th century asbestos was used as an insulation material and in fire-resistant building materials, among other uses. The use of asbestos declined sharply in the 1970s and 1980s when the dangers of asbestos to human health was revealed.
Asbestos was used in some textured paint and in patching compounds used on wall and ceiling joints. The use of asbestos in these products was banned in 1977.
Many steam pipes, boilers and furnace ducts were insulated with an asbestos blanket or asbestos paper tape. These materials may release asbestos fibers if damaged, repaired, or removed improperly.
Resilient floor tiles (vinyl, asphalt, and rubber), the backing on vinyl sheet flooring, and adhesives used for installing floor tile were manufactured using asbestos. Removal of these substances could release asbestos fibers into the air.
Cement sheet, millboard, and paper used as insulation around furnaces and wood burning stoves may contain asbestos fibers. If these materials are disturbed, dangerous asbestos fibers could be released into the air.
Long exposure to asbestos fibers can lead to two types of lung cancer:
- Mesothelioma – a cancer of the lining of the chest and the abdominal cavity.
- Asbestosis – when the lungs become scarred with fibrous tissue.
The symptoms for these diseases usually take 20 or 30 years to appear. Asbestos fibers could still be lurking in older commercial buildings, homes and schools. Undisturbed, these fibers usually do not cause a problem to humans. If these fibers are disturbed, released into the air and inhaled, they can stay in the lungs for a long time and can cause problems many years later.
R & A Consultants conducts its analysis with our own accredited and licensed Phase Contrast Microscopy laboratory.