Asbestos is a naturally occurring group of minerals with long, thin fibrous crystals that can be separated into threads and woven. The particular characteristics of asbestos have made it popular in industry since the late 1800s. Asbestos has a reputation for being strong and flexible, and asbestos fibers are resistant to heat and chemicals. Asbestos is often bonded to other materials, giving them strength and stability.  An estimated 5,000 products with asbestos exist today.

There are two families of asbestos, and they differ according to the structure of their mineral crystals. Viewed under a microscope, the Amphibole family of asbestos has chainlike crystals; the Serpentine family, on the other hand, has layered sheets of fiber. The commercial industry utilized four kinds of asbestos:

• Chrysotile, or white asbestos, accounts for about 99% of the asbestos used in the United States. Chrysotile belongs to the serpentine family of asbestos and has been linked to all asbestos-related illness.
• Crocidolite fibers are blue. They come from the amphibole family.
• Amosite, a member of the amphibole family, has brown fibers.
• Anthophyllite, also an amphibole type of asbestos, features gray fibers.

Asbestos fibers are extremely durable. However, when the fiber masses are disturbed they break apart and form a dust. The dust contains tiny fiber particles that become airborne and remain there for some time. Once asbestos settles, it can easily be disturbed and redistributed through a process known as reentrainment.

Airborne asbestos fibers can also be inhaled or swallowed. Once those fibers enter the body, they become lodged in tissues where they may remain latent (inactive) for up to 5 decades. In the 1920's, asbestos fibers were linked to cancer and lung-related illness. By 1975 most of uses of the fiber were banned by the federal government. By 1989, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had banned all new uses of asbestos. Even so, the uses of asbestos established prior to 1989 are still allowed. Today, asbestos use is tightly regulated and has declined from the 719,000 cubic tons used in 1973 to 15,000 metric tons consumed just six years later. But there are almost 733,000 buildings that were erected prior to the asbestos ban. Today, an estimated 8 million people in the U.S. have already been exposed to asbestos. The product still poses an ongoing and serious threat to workers in certain occupations.

Asbestos is utilized by the building and construction industries to strengthen cement and plastics. Other uses in those industries include insulation, fireproofing and sound proofing. Shipbuilders have used asbestos to insulate boilers, steam pipes and hot water pipes. Asbestos is used by the automotive industry in clutch pads and brake shoes. Other asbestos containing products include:

• Asbestos paper containing products such as heat and electrical wire insulation, industrial filters, table pads and sheet underlying flooring.
• Ceiling and floor tile, paints, caulking and patching tape, coatings and adhesives, packing components, plastics.
• Asbestos textile products such as roofing materials, and heat or fire-resistant fabrics including blankets and curtains.

Occupational exposure to asbestos is especially high in several industries, including textiles, asbestos mining and milling, construction and building. Also at risk for exposure are demolition workers, drywall removers, auto workers (brake repair), shipbuilders, and workers in power plants, oil and gas refineries, railroads and steel mills. The list includes people who reside near former asbestos manufacturing plants, as well as Navy veterans, Merchant Marines, and Longshoremen. Families of workers are also susceptible because they are exposed to asbestos through fibers that cling to industrial and trade workers' clothes, shoes, skin and hair. This “second hand” exposure is known as paraoccupational exposure.

If you have been exposed to asbestos and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, or are worried that you might have mesothelioma, you may be eligible for compensation. Medical treatment is your primary concern but knowing your legal rights can help protect you and your family. Click here to learn more about your legal options.

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