The chrysotile asbestos is the primary cause of malignant pleural mesothelioma. The 3 most common forms of asbestos are amosite, chrysotile, and crocidolite. The chrysotile asbestos or white asbestos accounts for approximately 95% of the asbestos material that is used in US production of asbestos products and is the only known member of the serpentine group of minerals.

Why was asbestos so widely used in the past?

Manufacturers and builders liked Asbestos for a variety of reasons. Asbestos is strong yet flexible, and it will not burn. Asbestos conducts electricity poorly, but insulates effectively and also resists corrosion. Asbestos may have been so widely used because few other available materials combine the same qualities in one form.

Are there many products that contain asbestos?

There was one study that estimated that 3,000 different types of commercial products contained some form of asbestos. The total amount of asbestos in each product was from as little as one percent to as much as 100 percent. Older plastics, paper products, brake linings, floor tiles and textile products often contain asbestos, as do many heavy manufacturing products such as sealants, cement pipe, cement sheets, and insulation. The Asbestos Ban and Phaseout Rule now prohibits the manufacture, processing, and even importation of most asbestos products.

Has asbestos been in use long?

Yes, asbestos was first used in the USA in the early 1900's, to insulate steam locomotive engines. But until the early 1940's, asbestos was not used very extensively. After World War II and for the next thirty years, the people who constructed and renovated schools and other public buildings used asbestos and asbestos -containing materials (ACM) extensively. ACM was used primarily to soundproof, fireproof, insulate, and decorate. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has estimated that there are many asbestos containing materials in most of our nation's approximately 107,000 primary and secondary schools and 733,000 commercialand public buildings.

How do people become exposed to asbestos?

After the asbestos fibers or dust is in the air, people may esily inhale them. Because the asbestos fibers are so small and light, they can float in the air for a long time. The people whose work may bring them into contact with asbestos, like workers who renovate old buildings that have asbestos in them for example, may inhale fibers that are in the air: This is known as occupational exposure. The workers' families may also inhale asbestos fibers released by clothes that have been in contact with ACM: this is known as paraoccupational exposure. Any people who live or work near asbestos-related operations may inhale the asbestos fibers that have been released into the air by the operations and this is called neighborhood exposure. The total amount of asbestos a worker is exposed to will vary according to:

• The concentration of asbestos fibers in the air
• Duration of asbestos exposure
• The worker's breathing rate (workers doing manual labor breathe faster)
• Weather conditions
• The protective devices the worker wears

Estimates say that between 1940 and 1980, 27 million Americans had significant occupational exposure to asbestos. People may also ingest asbestos if they eat in areas where there are asbestos fibers in the air.

When is an ACM most likely to release asbestos fibers?

Any damaged ACM is more likely to release fibers into the air than non-damaged ACM. A 1984 survey said the EPA found that approximately 66 percent of those old buildings that contained asbestos also contained damaged ACM. If an ACM can be crumbled by hand pressure or a condition known as "friable"- it is much more likely to release fibers than if it is "non-friable." The fluffy, spray-applied asbestos fireproofing material seen is generally considered "friable." There are some materials that are considered "non-friable," such as vinyl-asbestos floor tile, that can also release fibers when sanded, sawed, or otherwise aggressively disturbed. And materials such as asbestos cement pipe can release asbestos fibers if broken or crushed when buildings are demolished, renovated, or repaired. Any ACM which is in a heavy traffic area, and which is therefore often disturbed, is more likely to release asbestos fibers than ACM in a relatively undisturbed area.

How can I identify asbestos and asbestos products?

While it can be possible to consider that a building material or product is/or contains asbestos by looking at it, the actual determinations can only be made by valid instrumental analysis. Before a product has been tested, it is wise to assume that the product does contains asbestos, unless the label, or the manufacturer of the product verifies that it does not.

The EPA requires that the asbestos content of any suspect materials be determined by collecting bulk samples and analyzing them with polarized light microscopy (PLM). This PLM technique determines both the percent and type of asbestos in the bulk material. The EPA Regional Offices can provide information about labs that test for asbestos in materials.

Does exposure to asbestos cause health problems?

While some people that are exposed to asbestos develop asbestos-related health problems; some people do not. Once it has been inhaled, the asbestos fibers can easily penetrate body tissues. The fibers may be deposited and retained in the airways and lung tissue. And because the asbestos fibers remain in the body, each exposure to asbestos increases the likelihood of developing an asbestos-related disease. Asbestos diseases may not appear until many years after the exposure. Currently we are seeing the results of exposure among many asbestos workers during World War II.

Getting a medical examination that includes a medical history, breathing capacity test, and chest x-ray may detect problems early. The scientists have not been able to determine a "safe" or threshold level for exposure to airborne asbestos. Ingesting asbestos may also be harmful, but the consequences of this type of exposure have not been clearly documented. Neither have the effects of skin exposure to asbestos been well documented. It seems people who touch asbestos may get a skin rash similar to the rash caused by fiberglass.

What diseases are associated with exposure to asbestos?

Asbestosis

Causd by asbestos exposure, asbestosis is a serious, chronic, non-cancerous respiratory disease. The inhaled asbestos fibers aggravate lung tissues, which causes them to scar. The symptoms of asbestosis include shortness of breath and a dry crackling sound during inhaling and in its advanced stages, the disease may cause cardiac failure.

At this time there is no effective treatment for asbestosis and the disease is usually disabling or fatal. The actual risk of asbestosis is minimal for those who do not work with asbestos and the disease is rarely caused by any neighborhood or family exposure. For those who renovate or demolish buildings that contain asbestos, they may be at elevated risk depending on the nature of the exposure and any precautions taken.

Lung Cancer

The largest number of deaths related to asbestos exposure is from lung cancer. Incidence of lung cancers in workers who are directly involved in the mining, milling, manufacturing, and use of asbestos and its products is much greater than in the general population. Among the most common symptoms of lung cancer are coughing and a change in breathing. Other lung cancer symptoms include shortness of breath, persistent chest pains, hoarseness, and anemia.

Those who have been exposed to asbestos fibers and are also exposed to some other carcinogens such as tobacco smoke have a much greater risk of developing a lung cancer than those who have only been exposed to asbestos. One medical study found that asbestos workers who smoke are about 90 times more likely to develop lung cancer than people who neither smoke nor have been exposed to asbestos.

Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is a rare type of lung cancer which generally occurs in the thin membrane lining of the lungs, chest, abdomen, and sometimes the heart. Roughly 3,000 new cases are diagnosed each year in the US. Almost all cases of mesothelioma are linked with past asbestos exposure. About two percent of all miners and textile workers who work with asbestos, and 10 percent of all workers who were involved in the manufacture of asbestos-containing gas masks are diagnosed with mesothelioma.

Those people who work in asbestos mills, asbestos mines, factories, and shipyards that use asbestos, as well as those who manufacture and install asbestos insulation, have an greater risk of mesothelioma. And so do people who live with asbestos workers, near asbestos mining areas, near asbestos product factories, or near shipyards where use of asbestos has produced large quantities of airborne asbestos fibers.

The younger people are when they inhale asbestos, the more likely they are to develop mesothelioma. This is why huge efforts are being made to prevent school children from being exposed and to get asbestos out of school buildings.

Other Cancers

All evidence suggests that cancers in the esophagus, stomach, colon, larynx, oral cavity, and kidney may be caused by ingesting asbestos. If you would like more information on asbestos-related cancers, contact your local chapter of the American Cancer Society.

Who regulates asbestos?

The United States Environmental Protection Agency and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) are responsible for regulating environmental exposure and protecting workers from asbestos exposure. It is OSHA who is responsible for the health and safety of workers who may be exposed to asbestos in the work place, or in connection with their jobs. The EPA is responsible for developing and enforcing regulations necessary to protect the general public from exposure to airborne contaminants that are known to be hazardous to human health.

The Worker Protection Rule (40 CFR Part 763, Subpart G) extends the OSHA standards to state and local employees who perform asbestos work and who are not covered by the OSHA Asbestos Standards, or by a state OSHA plan. The Rule parallels OSHA requirements and covers medical examinations, air monitoring, work practices, reporting, protective equipment, and record keeping. Also, many State and local agencies have more stringent standards than those required by the Federal government. Those who plan to renovate or remove asbestos from a building of a certain size, or who plan to demolish any building, are required to notify the appropriate federal, state, and local agencies, and to follow all federal, state, and local requirements for removal and disposal of regulated asbestos-containing material (RACM).

The EPA's advice on asbestos is not to rip it all out in a panic nor to ignore the problem under a false presumption that asbestos is "risk free." Rather, EPA recommends a practical approach that protects public health by emphasizing that asbestos material in buildings should be located, that it should be appropriately managed, and that those workers who may disturb it should be properly trained and protected, as well as any others that may be in the area.. In the past that was and continues to be the EPA's position. The following list summarizes the 5 major asbesos facts that the EPA has presented in congressional testimony:

FACT ONE:
While asbestos is very hazardous, the human risk of asbestos disease depends upon the exposure.

FACT TWO:
Most asbestos levels in buildings and the levels school children and you and I face as building occupants does seem to be very low,which is based upon available data. As such, the health risk we face as building occupants also appears to be very low.

FACT THREE:
It seems removal is often not a school district's or other building owner's best course of action to reduce asbestos exposure. In fact, an improper removal can create a dangerous situation where none previously existed.

FACT FOUR:
The EPA only requires asbestos removal in order to prevent significant public exposure to asbestos, such as during building renovation or demolition.

FACT FIVE:
The EPA does recommend in-place management whenever asbestos has been discovered. and instead of any removal, a serious in-place management program will usually be enough to control fiber releases, particularly when the materials are not significantly damaged and are not likely to be disturbed.

What are EPA's asbestos regulations?

TSCA

Ban in 1979, under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), the EPA started an asbestos technical assistance program for land lords, building owners, environmental groups, building contractors, and industry. Then in May of 1982, the EPA issued the first regulation that was intended to control asbestos in schools under the authority of TSCA; this regulation was known as the Asbestos-in-Schools Rule. Then in 1985, financial loans and grants have been given each year to aid Local Education Agencies (LEAs) in conducting asbestos abatement projects under the Asbestos School Hazard Abatement Act (ASHAA).

AHERA

It was 1986 and the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA; Asbestos Containing Materials in Schools, 40 CFR Part 763, Subpart E) was signed into law as Title II of TSCA. The AHERA is much more inclusive than the May 1982 Asbestos-in-Schools Rule. AHERA requires LEAs to inspect their school facilities for any asbestos containing building materials (ACBM) and prepare management plans that recommend the best way to lower the asbestos hazard. Some options include repairing damaged ACM, spraying it with sealants, enclosing it, removing it, or keeping it in good condition so that it does not release fibers.

The plans must be developed by accredited management planners and approved by the State. LEAs must notify parent, teacher, and employer organizations of the plans, and then the plans must be implemented. AHERA also requires accreditation of abatement designers, contractor supervisors, workers, building inspectors, and school management plan writers. Those responsible for enforcing AHERA have concentrated on educating LEAs, in an effort to ensure that they will comply with the regulations. Any contractors that improperly remove asbestos from schools can be liable under both AHERA and NESHAP. If you'd like more information on AHERA, you can request the pamphlet entitled "The ABC's of Asbestos in Schools" from the EPA Public Information Center.

ASBESTOS BAN & PHASEOUT RULE

It was in 1989 that the EPA published the Asbestos: Manufacture, Importation, Processing, and Distribution in Commerce Prohibitions; Final Rule (40 CFR Part 763, Subpart I). This rule will eventually ban about 94 percent of the asbestos used in the U.S. (based on 1985 estimates). Take for example, asbestos containing drum brake linings and roof coatings will be banned. The rule was implemented in three stages between 1990 and 1997.

NESHAP

The Clean Air Act (CAA) of 1970 requires that the EPA develop and enforce regulations to protect the general public from exposure to any airborne contaminants that are known to be hazardous to human health. In accordance with Section 112 of the CAA, EPA established National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP). No surpise that asbestos was one of the first hazardous air pollutants to be regulated under Section 112. On March 31, 1971, EPA identified asbestos as a hazardous pollutant, and on April 6, 1973, EPA promulgated the Asbestos NESHAP in 40 CFR Part 61, Subpart M. The Asbestos NESHAP has been amended several times, and most recently in November 1990. To get a copy of the Asbestos NESHAP contact the Asbestos NESHAP Coordinators.

What are the Asbestos NESHAP basic requirements?

NESHAP is intended to minimize the release of asbestos fibers during any activities involving the handling of asbestos. It specifies the work practices to be followed during renovations of buildings which are known to contain a certain threshold amount of friable asbestos, and during any demolitions of all structures, installations, and facilities (except apartment buildings that have no more than four dwelling units). Generally, the Asbestos NESHAP requires action to be taken by the person who owns, leases, operates, controls, or supervises the facility being demolished or renovated, and by the person who owns, leases, operators, controls or supervises the demolition or renovation.

These regulations require owners and operators subject to the Asbestos NESHAP to notify delegated State and local agencies and/or their EPA Regional Offices before any demolition or renovation activity begins. The regulations restrict the use of spray asbestos, and prohibit the use of wet applied and molded insulation (i.e., pipe lagging). The Asbestos NESHAP also regulates asbestos waste handling and disposal.

Why was the Asbestos NESHAP amended?

Asbestos NESHAP was amended for several reasons. The EPA wanted to clarify existing regulatory policies, and to add some regulations which explicitly address monitoring and record keeping at facilities which mill, manufacture, and fabricate asbestos. Also, because of the high risk associated with the transfer and disposal of ACM, EPA also wanted to strengthen the requirements which govern asbestos waste disposal by requiring tracking and record keeping. Furthermore, EPA determined that the Asbestos NESHAP needed to take into account the availability of improved emission controls. EPA also wanted to make the NESHAP consistent with other EPA statutes that regulate asbestos.

What sources are now covered by the asbestos NESHAP?

These activities and facilities are currently regulated by the Asbestos NESHAP:

• The milling of asbestos.
• Roadways containing ACM.
• The commercial manufacture of products that contain commercial asbestos.
• The demolition of all facilities.
• The renovation of facilities that contain friable ACM.
• The spraying of ACM.
• The processing (fabricating) of any manufactured products that contain asbestos.
• The use of insulating materials that contain commercial asbestos.
• The disposal of asbestos-containing waste generated during milling, manufacturing, demolition, renovation, spraying, and fabricating operation.
• The closure and maintenance of inactive waste disposal sites.
• The operation of and reporting on facilities that convert asbestos containing waste material into non-asbestos material.
• The design and operation of air cleaning devices.
• The reporting of information pertaining to process control equipment, filter devices, asbestos generating processes, etc.
• Active waste disposal sites.