ASBESTOS IS A KNOWN CARCINOGEN (CANCER CAUSING AGENT). EXPOSURE TO ASBESTOS CAN CAUSE ASBESTOSIS, LUNG CANCER, PLEURAL PLAQUES, MESOTHELIOMA AND A RANGE OF OTHER DISEASES. MESOTHELIOMA IS CANCER OF THE PLEURAL CAVITY AROUND THE LUNGS. IT CAN ALSO AFFECT THE PERITONEAL LINING TO THE ABDOMEN. THE ONLY KNOWN CAUSE IS ASBESTOS EXPOSURE. THERE IS NO CURE.
It appears that the likelihood of disease increases with the dose and type of asbestos. Crocidolite or blue asbestos is by far the most dangerous. Amosite or brown asbestos is considered less dangerous than crocidolite, but more dangerous than chrysotile or white asbestos. All forms of asbestos can however cause disease. There is no known safe level of exposure as individuals genetic makeup makes some people more or less likely to develop asbestos related disease. Just as some people smoke tobacco for many years and suffer no obvious illness, others may develop disease from side stream or passive smoking. The same applies to asbestos exposure. As a naturally occurring mineral asbestos is also present in the environment but at extremely low levels. In order to reduce the potential for disease it is important to limit exposure to the lowest practicable level.
Symptoms of asbestos disease typically show 20 – 40 years after exposure. Smoking greatly increases the likelihood of developing lung cancer or asbestosis, but is not associated with mesothelioma. There were 656 mesothelioma deaths in Australia in 2013 and roughly the same number are diagnosed each year. Many of these cases were the result of asbestos mining, manufacturing and installation in the second half of last century. However we are now seeing mesothelioma developing in people who were exposed to asbestos at much lower levels such as when undertaking DIY on asbestos cement sheet (fibro). Australia has the highest known incidence of mesothelioma in the world.
Occasional or short exposure to asbestos is unlikely to cause disease in the vast majority of people. However in order to best ensure the safety of everyone it is vital to remove or stabilise asbestos products wherever possible.
