{"id":21324,"date":"2016-10-06T14:07:43","date_gmt":"2016-10-06T18:07:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.atlantictraining.com\/blog\/?p=21324"},"modified":"2024-05-18T23:16:17","modified_gmt":"2024-05-18T23:16:17","slug":"asbestos-awareness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.atlantictraining.com\/blog\/asbestos-awareness\/","title":{"rendered":"What is asbestos, and do I still need to worry about it?"},"content":{"rendered":"

You’ve heard the term asbestos, and I’m sure you’ve heard that it’s linked to a type of cancer called Mesothelioma. But you find yourself wondering “what does that mean for me?” For the longest time, I had absolutely no idea what either of them really\u00a0were, and it wasn’t until I started working at Atlantic Training that I discovered what it was, and why it’s a “thing” worth being cautious about- not just at your job, but in your home as well.<\/p>\n

What in the ‘ell is asbestos?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Asbestos\u00a0refers to a group of six types of naturally occurring minerals. Asbestos minerals are made up of fine, durable fibers and are resistant to heat, fire and many chemicals. Once called the “miracle mineral” for such properties, asbestos was used in a slew of everyday products, from building materials to fireproof protective gear\u00a0[3].\u00a0The threat from the minerals\u00a0is that it’s linked \u00a0to a cancer known as pleural mesothelioma, in addition to other diseases such as lung cancer or asbestosis.<\/p>\n

Asbestos is still used in the United States to this day, but is strictly regulated and observed by the EPA.<\/p>\n

Where does it lurk?<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Photo Credit: roguedisposal.com<\/p><\/div>\n

Though not as widely used today as it was back in the early ’70’s, asbestos can still be found in common locations. It is mostly used today in fire resistant or heat resistant products, as it does not hold any heat. Such products are\u00a0protective clothing, pipe insulation, brake linings and similar materials\u00a0[3].\u00a0Prior to deriving laws conducive to it’s regulation in the ’80’s, asbestos could (and can still be) found in:<\/p>\n

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