Asbestos Caution -- DIY's be careful

Asbestos has been used everywhere in the past, and, if you own older property, its everywhere.

Its in the floor tile, wall tile, shingles, insulation, roofing, etc. Just use common sense. If its friable, wet it down, pull it out, and get rid of it. Don't cut it, or sand it.

2 days ago I was watching a show on shipyard breakers in India. They take old boats, and cut them to scrap. The poor folks there work for pennies. No masks. No OSHA. Etc. You could see piles of asbestos and clouds of it in the air. Now THAT is real exposure.

I am not saying asbestos is something to be ignored. But its VERY overhyped. Cases of mesothelioma (lung cancer from asbestos) are incredibly rare...

Personally, I think in a decade or 2 fiberglass insulation will be outlawed. It is basically similar to asbestos, NOT degradeable in the human lung, and yet we have it everywhere. Did you ever put the stuff up? Its like inhaling sandpaper particles...

Just use common sense...

 

Although asbestos and fiberglass are not good in the lungs, the serious asbestosis and lung cancers were in something like 95% of smokers. Non-smokers rarely got serious disease from exposure. DON'T smoke!

 

but anyone who has mesothelioma got it from asbestos. A local doctor worked as a longshoreman for six months in the 70's, and now has meso, and the concomitant six months to live. Be VERY careful with allowing that stuff to get airborne.

 

It won't be long before the fiberglass insulation that we use today has the same stigma down the road that asbestos does now. Both of them are equally terrible on your lungs. I wear a 3m respirator whenever I come into contact with either.

 

I think I'll start wearing one of those respirators when I drive my Lotus...

 

Are you sure that it is asbestos? You can have that verified, because if it is Ferrari would have the obligation to remove and replace it.

Maybe it is something similar. Asbestos was done prior to 1968 here in the US. So, I doubt it is asbestos in the cars.

Could be but that's hard to believe that HTHSA would have allowed that into the USA at that time frame.

Have it verified for your own good.

 

How are those regular masks (doctor type from Home Depot) when doing some small insualtion work?

 

IMO, worthless. I never realized how much better the respirator was until I began doing paint and tile jobs. Thinset dust and kilz made me wear a respirator. Its just not worth the risk with insulation.

 

Good tip..thanks

 

My dad died at 56 from mesothelioma. It doesn't seem overhyped to me. Through the course of doing his jobs and living his life, he was poisoned by corporate greed. Deaths from asbestos have knowingly been occuring since the '40s.

Is it on the same level of death as lung cancer from smoking? No. But people who are poisoned from asbestos didn't choose to inhale it either.

Mesothelioma is 100% fatal and death often comes in a few short, painful months.

If you aren't concerned with asbestos, fine, but don't diminish its reach simply because of ignorant bravado.

 

Very well said. For anyone who has worked around any kind of shipyard or heavy automotive industry the concern should be VERY real! The controls are placed on asbestos for very REAL reasons.

My grandmother died of Mesothelioma possibly as a result of working in the laundry industry but more likely due to the fact that my Grandfather was a heavy truck mechanic. He would wear his dirty coveralls home and she would shake the dust out of them before washing. She was NEVER a smoker, that's another myth. Smoking greatly increases your chances but not smoking is not a free pass either!!

I have also seen numerous folks perish from this disease after being exposed in the shipyard environment. Just went to the funeral of a former boss and mentor of mine less than three weeks ago. He'd been retired less than four years!! He made it a lot longer than most after diagnosis, he lived a little over a year after having one lung removed.

Don't forget that there are even more deaths as a result of Asbestosis than Mesothelioma. While asbestosis may not directly kill the victim like mesothelioma, it is surely the root cause. If you can't breathe you can't live!!

The only difference between asbestos and fiberglass is that the glass fibers don't have the large barbs that the asbestos fibers do. Mark my words, fiberglass will someday be controlled just as strictly as asbestos. Should be sooner instead of later but big dollars are fighting it just like they did Asbestos.

 

..even the smallest fiber in your lung will cause cancer....this is very different than cig. smoke that is dose related as well as other factors. Do we know for sure that the 308's have asbestos ? I thought they were way too young..I know there was a serious problem with cars in the 60's with brake pads and brake dust...early xke's had a concern with a very small heat shield for the hydraulics that was rumoured to be made of asbestos...

 

Its dangerous to be around if you have any breathing problems especailly.

Otherwise, wear a surgical mask if working in an area full of it, and you should be good.