Asbestos In Buildings : Hidden Danger

Because of its great qualities such as resistence to heat, fire, wear or chemicals, asbestos used to be a very desirable material - until a short time ago.

For a long time, people used to create a lot of products out of asbestos, such as building material, clothes or toys. But then, about 50 years ago, it was found out that it was poisonous. What is asbestos poisoning? The advantage and curse of asbestos at the same time is its durability, which has been exploited in various industries. On the other hand, when present in human bodies, the body has no way of disposing of it.

As long as asbestos stays compound in the material it is part of, then it is harmless. The real danger comes from breathing in the tiny needle-like asbestos fibers, when they get airborne. But the first symptoms of asbestos poisoning, such as dry cough, chest tightness or short breath can be confused with some less dangerous diseases. Unfortunately, asbestos poisoning has also quite a long latency period. Therefore the true cause of the patient's problems is often found out too late.

Asbestosis, mesothelioma or lung cancer - that are the most common illnesses linked to asbestos poisoning. When a person suffers from asbestosis, his/her lungs are trying to dissolve the asbestos fibers by producing acid. This acid then scars the tissue around and makes it harder. Eventually, the person can breath only with difficulty. Mesothelioma is an cureless type of cancer, affecting the outer lining of the lungs. A person can get mesothelioma from being exposed to asbestos poisoning for just a very brief period or even accidentally, which is a major difference from asbestosis. Asbestos-induced lung cancer has been responsible for more than half of all deaths triggered by asbestos poisoning. On the other hand, when treated in its early stage, people can enjoy an active lifestyle for a lot of years after the diagnosis.

Asbestos in Canada: Canada, being once one of the leading asbestos producers in the world, still supports its use in its less dangerous forms. The asbestos mines in Quebec are still in use. Until the 1980s, asbestos had been commonly used in most office buildings, public buildings and schools, usually for thermal, fire and sound insulation. The most ‘at risk’ people tend to be the workers who have installed asbestos materials, especially if they ignored the health and safety rules and allowed dust from the installation process to escape into the atmosphere and then breathed in this poisonous toxin. The use of asbestos still hasn't been forbidden in Canada. There are nevertheless some changes - Ontario has made using asbestos as insulation material banned back in 1973. Asbestos has been mainly removed from public buildings as a result of an effort by the local governments. There are also very strict rules for any work involving asbestos installation or removal.

Asbestos in Toronto: What regards asbestos in buildings, Ontario has very severe regulations, especially since 2007. Landlords have to deliver any strange material deteriorating in the building for examination. In case it is found out that asbestos is really present, it has to be removed without delay by a certified company. If it is found out that the deterioration may continue, the professionals will remove the whole affected area, again following severe safety regulations.

The most common use of asbestos in non-domestic buildings: - insulation on pipes - ceiling tiles - panels boards - cement panels - sprayed coatings on walls - asbestos ropes and cloth - textures coating The most common use of asbestos in residential homes in Toronto: - exterior surfaces: deck undersheeting, roof felt and shingles, window putty - all kinds of insulation - flooring: vinyl asbestos sheets, tiles and undersheeting - interior surface: sprayed-on acoustic ceilings, acoustic tiles - appliances: water heaters, range hoods, clothes dryers and dishwashers Asbestos is still not a solved problem. The Sunrise Propane blast which took place last year is still in our memories. Asbestos debris hit 5 streets and around 3000 inhabitants had to leave their homes, until the whole place was carefully cleaned up. Local governments keep fighting with the danger posed by asbestos. However, the scope of this danger is very difficult to quantify. One of the reasons why it is so difficult is the fact that just 0.5% of asbestos in material is considered as poisonous.

There are professional companies that you can summon and they will inspect your home in case you have even the slightest suspicion it might have been affected (there is a list of such companies available in the Toronto region). Never try to remove suspect material on your own!