Asbestos

Asbestos is a group of naturally occurring, <a href="/facts/Toxicity/qa96rs60">toxic</a>, <a href="/facts/Carcinogen/soH8Y9CE">carcinogenic</a> and fibrous <a href="/facts/Silicate_mineral/WclrQW2I">silicate minerals</a>. There are six types, all of which are composed of long and thin fibrous <a href="/facts/Crystal_habit/x2S1HVVY">crystals</a>, each fibre (<a href="/facts/Particulate/RleGr5E6">particulate</a> with length substantially greater than width) being composed of many microscopic "fibrils" that can be released into the atmosphere by <a href="/facts/Abrasion_(mechanical)/Ttk8nv9J">abrasion</a> and other processes. Inhalation of asbestos fibres can lead to various dangerous <a href="/facts/Lung/gTWXI6Fj">lung</a> conditions, including <a href="/facts/Mesothelioma/KmqMKqld">mesothelioma</a>, <a href="/facts/Asbestosis/EufWTskD">asbestosis</a>, and <a href="/facts/Lung_cancer/LHLdR454">lung cancer</a>. As a result of these health effects, asbestos is considered a serious <a href="/facts/Health_hazard/09kGfaao">health</a> and <a href="/facts/Safety_hazard/09kGfaao">safety hazard</a>.
Archaeological studies have found evidence of asbestos being used as far back as the <a href="/facts/Stone_Age/r1KMneWW">Stone Age</a> to strengthen <a href="/facts/Ceramic/9JKudpqX">ceramic</a> pots, but large-scale mining began at the end of the 19th century when manufacturers and builders began using asbestos for its desirable physical properties. Asbestos is an excellent <a href="/facts/Thermal_insulation/j7tVT4uv">thermal</a> and <a href="/facts/Insulator_(electricity)/SfSXkrh5">electrical insulator</a>, and is highly fire resistant, so for much of the 20th century, it was very commonly used around the world as a building material (particularly for its fire-retardant properties), until <a href="/facts/Asbestos-related_diseases/zGXFgBzF">its adverse effects on human health</a> were more widely recognized and acknowledged in the 1970s. Many buildings constructed before the 1980s contain asbestos.
The use of asbestos for construction and <a href="/facts/Fireproofing/t6MKThD7">fireproofing</a> has been made illegal in many countries. Despite this, around 255,000 people are thought to die each year from diseases related to asbestos exposure. In part, this is because many older buildings still contain asbestos; in addition, the consequences of exposure can take decades to arise. The latency period (from exposure until the diagnosis of negative health effects) is typically 20 years. The most common diseases associated with chronic asbestos exposure are <a href="/facts/Asbestosis/EufWTskD">asbestosis</a> (scarring of the lungs due to asbestos inhalation) and <a href="/facts/Mesothelioma/KmqMKqld">mesothelioma</a> (a type of cancer).
Many developing countries still support the use of asbestos as a <a href="/facts/Building_material/Kk7GB0KY">building material</a>, and mining of asbestos is ongoing, with the top producer, <a href="/facts/Russia/jfkCwyxn">Russia</a>, having an estimated production of 790,000 tonnes in 2020.

Asbestos open-in-new

Asbestos