Why Is Asbestos Air Quality Testing So Critical?

How Does Asbestos Get Into The Air? 

Asbestos breaks up into tiny fibers, which may even be microscopic and invisible without proper equipment. 

If your home is in the United States, you likely have heard about asbestos and the many products that were made from it. You would see asbestos in insulation, roofing, cement and other building materials. It was also included in false ceilings and sound proofing material. 

There are many sources of asbestos. The car that you drive may have many parts that contain asbestos containing material (ACM). Asbestos is mined from underneath the earth, in rocks and soil. When damaged, asbestos-containing materials release asbestos into the air in the form of fibers and dust. Thus, you can find asbestos in the air.

Why Is Asbestos So Harmful To You? 

Asbestos in the air is harmful to you and can cause health problems because it contains tiny fibers that embed in your lungs and other parts of your body and damage your body over time. This process can take up to fifty years, known as the latency of asbestos. 

Asbestos fibers are microscopic, meaning they’re so small that you cannot see them with the naked eye. They are much smaller than your hair. You can also have asbestos dust in the air. When you breathe in the air containing asbestos fibers and dust, they settle in your lungs. Long exposure to asbestos can lead to adverse health conditions for you. 

One health condition asbestos can cause is asbestosis, a disease in which scars appear on lung tissues. Asbestosis is non-cancerous, but can be painful and debilitating, and over time can lead to other problems, including cancer.

Even without asbestosis, asbestos exposure can cause cancers like lung cancer and mesothelioma, an aggressive and dangerous cancer of the lining of organs such as the lungs and the stomach, that has no cure. All types of asbestos can cause cancer.

That is why exposure to asbestos can be so harmful to you, and why it’s a good idea to test yourself for asbestos exposure, and have professionals conduct testing to detect asbestos in your home, work or other buildings or products. 

Why Is Asbestos Air Quality Testing So Critical?

It is possible that indoor air contains asbestos without you knowing about it. If you do not test for it in a space that you will occupy for a long time, your risk of exposure is high. According to reports, mesothelioma can occur after 30-40 years of exposure.

You should watch out for any demolition activity near your home. That is when asbestos fibers can get into the air easily. 

In fact, for schools, there is a law to test for asbestos before children occupy any building after renovation. You can see the laws governing asbestos here. 

Therefore, it is critical that you undertake air quality testing. This will save you from suffering from diseases caused by asbestos exposure.

AsbestosClaims.Law

AsbestosClaims.law is your comprehensive resource for all things asbestos. We hope this information helps you.

If you believe that your home was contaminated with asbestos, you could be entitled to significant compensation – money you could use to cover the costs of asbestos removal services, pay for medical treatment, and preemptively protect your physical well-being. 

In addition to legal claims, veterans disability, social security and employment protection like workers compensation, FELA and The Jones Act for maritime workers, there are asbestos trusts that have been set up to compensate those harmed by asbestos without having to file a lawsuit.
If you have any additional questions or concerns related to asbestos, including testing for exposure or how to file a claim, please get in touch by email at [email protected], or call or text us at (833) 4-ASBESTOS (427-2378) or (206) 455-9190.