| During World War II Asbestos was hailed
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| | damaged asbestos and eliminate any
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| by many as a miracle mineral. Almost
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| | exposure or enclose it in protective
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| anything could be built or manufactured
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| | barriers. Vermiculite, widely used in
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| from this mineral. The building and
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| | horticulture, became a concern of the EPA
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| construction industries used it as an
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| | that recommended outdoor use, limiting
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| additive to strengthen cement and
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| | the amount of dust used, and keeping
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| plastics. Asbestos fibers can be
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| | vermiculite damp.
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| separated into thin threads which do not
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| | Asbestos may create serious health
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| conduct electricity and are not affected
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| | hazards such as coughing, lung damage,
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| by heat or chemicals.
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| | shortness of breath, and lung cancer.
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| The four main types of asbestos are:
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| | Most people do not become sick in the
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| Amosite with brown fibers, Anthophyllite
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| | early stages of development, but usually
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| with gray fibers, white Christie, and
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| | need continued exposure, often on jobs
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| blue Crocidolite. Chrysotile has curly
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| | such as mining, milling, manufacturing
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| fibers while the other three have rod
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| | asbestos products, and building
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| like fibers. These fibers break into
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| | construction. Firemen, demolition
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| dust quite easily and drift in the air.
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| | workers, drywall removers, and any other
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| They can stick on skin, clothing, and can
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| | workers in trades that involve
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| easily be swallowed or inhaled.
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| | destruction of buildings, ships, and
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| Use of asbestos skyrocketed during World
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| | automobiles are also exposed to the
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| War II. Shipbuilding used asbestos
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| | hazards and risks of asbestos.
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| extensively in freighters and support
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| | Over a period of years continual exposure
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| vessels to insulate boilers, steam pipes
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| | to asbestos can cause very serious health
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| and hot water pipes. Asbestos became the
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| | problems, such as mesothelioma.
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| miracle construction material as it was
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| | Mesothelioma is a rare type of carcinoma
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| easily obtained, processed, and
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| | of the membrane that lines numerous
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| transported.
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| | cavities of the body, including the
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| After WWII cars used asbestos in break
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| | lungs, abdomen and heart, and has been
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| shoes and clutch pads. Asbestos found
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| | associated with exposure to asbestos
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| its way into residential and industrial
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| | dust. In mesothelioma, the cells of the
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| building materials, water supply, sewage
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| | mesothelioma metastasize and damage
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| materials, ceiling and floor tiles, and
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| | adjacent organs and tissues.
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| vermiculite garden materials to name a
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| | Risk of developing mesothelioma takes a
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| few products.
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| | long period of time, often as long as
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| In the 1970?s the U.S Consumer Product
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| | twenty-five or thirty-five years before
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| Safety Commission banned the use of
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| | full blown symptoms appear. Not all
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| asbestos in several products that could
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| | workers who have been exposed will
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| release asbestos fibers into the
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| | develop diseases caused by asbestos, but
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| environment during use, following the
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| | workers who have been exposed to it may
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| discoveries of the health dangers of
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| | bring fibers on their clothing, hair,
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| asbestos dust inhalation. Regulations
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| | shoes, and skin home to their families.
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| governing the use of asbestos and concern
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| | To circumvent this risk, most industries
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| of public opinion since 1970 have created
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| | require workers to bathe and change their
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| a significant drop in the use of asbestos
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| | clothing before they leave work.
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| in the United States.
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| | Many studies have been conducted
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| In 1989 all new uses of asbestos were
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| | involving the risks of diseases caused by
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| banned by the Environmental Protection
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| | exposure to asbestos. The results of one
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| Agency while any old uses before that
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| | such study involving the risks of smoking
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| year were still permitted. The EPA
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| | and exposure to asbestos proved extremely
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| suggested that schools inspect for
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| | hazardous.
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