How might I be exposed to asbestos?
Asbestos can enter the environment from fiber
releases arising from manmade asbestos products. Asbestos may be
found in products like floor tiles, roof shingles, cement, and
automotive brakes. Electrical, plumbing, acoustical, and structural
insulation applications are also very common. Asbestos fibers are
released into the air when these products are disturbed or degraded.
How can asbestos effect my health?
Information on human health effects of asbestos comes
mostly from long-term studies of people exposed to asbestos in the
workplace. People who breathe in asbestos may develop a slow build-up of
scar-like tissue in the lungs called asbestosis. This scarred tissue state
impairs the ability of the lungs and heart to adequately provide oxygen to
the body. This is a serious disease, and can eventually lead to disability
or death in people exposed to high amounts of asbestos. People with long
term exposure to asbestos also have increased
chances of developing two types of cancer: Lung cancer starts within
the respiratory tissues, and mesothelial cancer grows from the thin
membranes that surround the lung or the abdominal cavities. Both
lung cancer and mesothelioma are usually fatal. These
asbestos-related diseases do not appear immediately, but may develop
20 to 50 years after exposure.
What must be done before renovating a building?
Because of the dangers of asbestos, the Oregon DEQ and
LRAPA (Lane Regional Air Pollution Authority), under the authority of the
E.P.A., require an asbestos survey to determine the presence of asbestos in
many buildings built before 1987 when doing renovation or demolition.
How can I have my home or building tested for
asbestos?
ATEZ, Inc. can provide sampling services, surveys
and asbestos abatement. Please call us to discuss your needs.
How can I contact ATEZ, Inc. for more answers or
to discuss a project?
Call us at (541) 995-6008, or email us
atez@atezinc.com.
CCB 64090
Asbestos is a group of naturally occurring silicate minerals. Mined and milled from different rocks, asbestos is fibrous, thin, and strong. Chrysotile, amosite, crocidolite, tremolite, anthophyllite, and actinolite fibers are the most common types of asbestos minerals. However, only chrysotile, crocidolite, and amosite varieties are of industrial importance. Characteristics, like heat resistance, chemical inertness, high tensile strength and insulating capacity, coupled with the flexibility to be woven make asbestos suitable for use in many industrial and residential applications.
ASBESTOS
