Facts.Testing.Remediation

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that has been mined in Canada, South Africa, Australia, Russia and the United States since the late 1800's. The mineral can be separated into long, thin fibers and woven into cloth. Asbestos fibers are resistant to heat and fire. For this reason, asbestos was often used in insulation products. In most products, asbestos was combined with a binding agent so that the fibers were not released into the air. The problem occurs when asbestos fibers become loose and airborne. This often happens when asbestos-containing products are cut, sawed or sanded. Once inhaled, the microscopic fibers can remain in the lungs for many years and pose a serious health threat.

Of the many forms of asbestos fibers, three are primarily used for commercial purposes:

Amphibole asbestos (e.g. amosite and crocidolite) is very dangerous because of its dusty, needlelike fibers. Individuals that are exposed to this type of asbestos ingest the dust, which then becomes trapped in the lungs indefinitely. Over time, this can lead to asbestosis or malignant mesothelioma.

Asbestos fibers not often used for commercial purposes include tremolite, actinolite and anthophyllite. However, these fibers are occasionally used as contaminants in asbestos-containing products.

Asbestos Disease

Mesothelioma refers to a diagnosis by a board-certified pathologist of a malignant tumor caused or contributed to by exposure to asbestos originating in the mesothelial cells of the pleura, peritoneum or like tissue, or reasonable equivalent clinical diagnosis in the absence of adequate tissue for pathological diagnosis. (The only known cause of mesothelioma in the United States is previous exposure to asbestos fibers.)

Lung Cancer means a diagnosis by a qualified physician that indicates a malignant tumor originating within the lung caused or contributed to by exposure to asbestos.

Other Cancer means a diagnosis by a qualified physician that indicates a malignant tumor originating in the larynx, pharynx, stomach, esophagus, colon or rectum, caused or contributed to by exposure to asbestos.

Asbestos Lung Disease I (ALD-1) means either: 

(1) A diagnosis of pulmonary asbestosis by a board-certified internist or pulmonary specialist based on the following criteria:

oChest X-rays for which a B-reader report is furnished showing small irregular         opacities of ILO Grade 1/0 and pulmonary function testing and physical examination that shows either:

(a) FVC<80% of predicted with FEV-1/FVC>75%(actual value)

-OR-

(b) TLC<80% of predicted with either DLCO<75% of predicted or bilateral basilar crackle and also the absence of any probable explanation for this DLCO result or bilateral basilar crackles finding other than the presence of asbestos lung disease; or

oChest X-rays for which a B-reader report is furnished showing small irregular opacities of ILO Grade 1/1 and pulmonary function testing and physical examination that shows either:

(a) FVC<80% of predicted with FEV-1/FVC>72% (actual value) or, if the individual tested is at least 68 years old at the time of the testing, with FEV-1/FVC>65% (actual value)

-OR-

(b) TLC<80% of predicted.

-OR-

(2) A statement by a board-certified pathologist that more than one representative section of lung tissue otherwise uninvolved with any other process (e.g..cancer or emphysema) demonstrates a pattern of peribronchiolar or parenchymal scarring in the presence of characteristic asbestos bodies, and also that there is no other more likely explanation for the presence of the fibrosis.

Note: Those suffering from asbestosis are at a high risk of later developing lung cancer.

Asbestos Lung Disease II (ALD-2) means a diagnosis by a qualified physician that indicates other abnormalities or the parenchyma or pleura attributed to prior asbestos exposure, including pleural plaques, pleural thickening, pleural encasement and mild parenchymal fibrosis not meeting the definition of ALD-1.

Asbestos Products 

Although asbestos has not been manufactured in 15 years, asbestos is present in over 3,000 products still in use today. Many products were used in heat and acoustic insulation, fire-proofing, roofing and flooring. Structures built before 1978 have a higher probability of containing asbestos. Here are some of the most common products containing asbestos: