What is Asbestos?

Asbestos is natural

Asbestos is a naturally occurring silicate mineral with long, thin fibrous crystals. The three main asbestos types which have been commercially used are:

• Crocidolite (blue asbestos, shown inset)
• Amosite (brown asbestos)
• Chrysotile (white asbestos)

Asbestos was, and still is commercially mined in Canada, South Africa and Russia.

Why is asbestos dangerous? 

Asbestos fibres are small enough to pass into the lungs.  They are barbarous and are resistant to the normal defence processes taking place in the human body, so they remain in the lung, often entering the lining. Over time this can cause lung diseases such as the following:

Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is a cancer which affects the lining of the lungs (pleura) and the lining surrounding the lower digestive tract (peritoneum). It is almost exclusively related to asbestos exposure and by the time it is diagnosed, it is almost always fatal.

Asbestos-related lung cancer

Asbestos-related lung cancer is the same as (looks the same as) lung cancer caused by smoking and other causes. It is estimated that there is around one lung cancer for every mesothelioma death.

Asbestosis

Asbestosis is a serious scarring condition of the lung that normally occurs after heavy exposure to asbestos over many years. This condition can cause progressive shortness of breath, and in severe cases can be fatal.

Pleural thickening

Pleural thickening is generally a problem that happens after heavy asbestos exposure. The lining of the lung (pleura) thickens and swells. If this gets worse, the lung itself can be squeezed, and can cause shortness of breath and discomfort in the chest.