What are some safe ways to use asbestos?

Question

I understand that a few decades ago there was a ban on asbestos and billions of dollars were spent to remove asbestos and construct buildings without this product. However, asbestos are found, when using proper measures, to be an cost efficent and effective material. Does anyone have valid reasons why not to use asbestos (within proper measure) as a material in construction?

Answer 1

They are inherently unsafe- the cause lung Cancer. the ban had nothing to do with profit. they had a lot to do with human life. there are no Safe ways to use them, but the closest is if they are covered up in an airtight area. That is not allowed for new asbestos, which are not allowed at all, but only for old ones that are too expensive to remove.

Answer 2

Reasons. You would have to encase asbestos fibers in something that will prevent them from getting out forever. That would be expensive and would cause the resulting product to not have many of the desirable properties of asbestos. The manufacturing process (mining, processing, and fabricating) would have to protect the workers from asbestos. More expense. Waste from the processes would have to be dsposed of in a secure way. Still more expense.

We have developed much less expensive substitutes for anything asbestos would do. There is no need for the real thing.

Answer 3

The problem is that those working with asbestos were exposed to the dust, and when asbestos containing materials had to be removed the workers removing them were exposed to the dust. It causes asbestosis (scarring in the lungs causing shortness of breath) and lung cancer even decades after exposure. Families of workers were put at risk from dust carried home on the workers' clothes.

Answer 4

The particles were shown to cause lung cancer.