Asbestos Usage in the United States
While most current uses of asbestos
are restricted to either the construction or automotive industries,
products contaminated with asbestos do make their way into the hands of
consumers. One such product we are all familiar with is the gray roll of
duct tape. Other products intended for use in these two industries
might include brake pads or linings or transmission parts used by men
who like to work on their cars.
Do-It-Yourself Home Improvement
Other do-it-yourselfers might be exposed if they try to renovate
their homes. The recent popularity of flipping houses may have exposed
many unsuspecting flippers to asbestos as they tore out wallboard,
insulation, roofing, flooring, counter tops, ceilings, and even
carpeting. Entirely new businesses have spouted up from entrepreneurs
knowledgeable about the safe handling
and removal of asbestos laden materials. But their high costs may deter
people who are trying to make a profit by renovating an older home.
Though the current market discourages flipping, the market for older,
cheaper homes may begin to look better to people who can't afford newer
ones. They might be the unsuspecting victims of asbestos exposure if
they try to upgrade their older home themselves.
There is a double-whammy here. Not only are they pulling out older,
deteriorated materials that could easily release asbestos, but they will
be installing newer replacements that also contain asbestos. Asbestos found in older homes
shouldn't pose a problem if the surfaces aren't disturbed. But sanding
down old walls for a new coat of paint may create a deadly dust.
Pounding nails into a wall to hang pictures breaks the integrity of an
asbestos-containing wall material (wallboard, plaster, paint) and risks
airborne asbestos particles.
Gardening
One of life's pleasures is gardening. Who could guess that some of the products used in an ordinary flowerbed could be deadly? Vermiculite
is a common gardening product used to improve the soil. Vermiculite, by
itself, isn't the problem. But some vermiculite is contaminated with
asbestos, which has been found in deposits close to where vermiculite is
mined. The W. R. Grace mining company in Libby, Montana is a
perfect example of a company that knowingly distributed contaminated
vermiculite throughout the world, and did nothing to warn buyers, users,
employees or the nearby community where employees lived. To lessen the
risk of asbestos contamination, users are advised to dampen the
vermiculite when using it. This will reduce the amount of dust that can
become airborne and inhaled.
Older Products
If you happen to have any products
in your home that were produced before the 1990s, such as crayons, hair
dryers, talcum powder, older household appliances, these probably have
asbestos in them. Those that generate heat most certainly do, as
asbestos is both fire-retardant and insulative.