
1. The thin fibers are easily inhaled into people’s lungs
Asbestos fibers enter the air when the material is not safely removed or destroyed. They are so small they can stay in the air for several days. During this time, the fibers can be breathed in. Because these fibers are so small, they can penetrate deep into a person’s lungs. Once these fibers become lodged in lung tissue, they can cause some serious diseases.
It has been reported that about 125 million people worldwide are exposed to asbestos at work, and a large number of people die each year from asbestos-related lung cancer, mesothelioma, and asbestosis.
2. Non-cancer diseases can be caused by breathing asbestos
Scientific studies have shown that Asbestosis and Pleural disease can be caused by breathing asbestos.
Asbestosis is a chronic lung disease caused by the long-term inhalation of asbestos fibers. Pleural disease is like a big tissue that wraps around the outside of the lungs, inside the chest cavity. After asbestos exposure, inhaled asbestos fibers can reach the pleura, causing swelling and inflammation. This leads to the development of a Pleural disease.
3. Exposure to asbestos also increases the risk of some cancers Inhalation of certain amounts of asbestos fibers can increase the risk of some cancers. Lung cancer is a dose-related disease. If you inhale more asbestos, you are more likely to get sick. Smoking combined with asbestos exposure greatly increases the chance of developing lung cancer. Small amounts of asbestos can also cause Mesothelioma. Families of asbestos workers got mesothelioma because of the asbestos on workers’ clothing.
See asbestos testing for more information.