ATSDR ToxFAQs fact sheet on asbestos hazards

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

More external safety (automobile clutch, brake, and transmission parts), heat-resistantjfiibric^^^^^^/^i^^ ''^ and chemistry packaging, gaskets, and coatings. Some vermiculite or talc products may - information contain asbestos. What happens to asbestos when it enters the environment? iu

Asbestos fibers can alter the air or water from the breakdown of natural deposits and manufactured asbestos products. Asbestos fibers do not evaporate into air or dissolve in water. Small diameter fibers and particles may remain suspended in the air for a long frme and be carried long distances by wind or water before settling down. Larger diameter fibers and particles tend to settle more quickly. Asbestos fibers are not able to move through soil. Asbestos fibers are generally not broken down to other compounds and will ronain virtually unchanged over long periods. • How might I be exposed to asbestos? We are all exposed to low levels of asbestos in the air we breathe. These levels range fem 0.00001 to 0.0001 fibers per milliliter of air and generally are highest in cities and industrial areas. People working in industries that make or use asbestos products or who are involved in asbestos mining may be exposed to high levels of asbestos. People living near these industries may also be exposed to high levels of asbestos in air. Asbestos fibers may be released into the air by the disturbance of asbestos-containing material during product use, demolition work, building or home maintenance, repair, and remodeling. In general, exposure may occur only when the asbestos-containing material is disturbed in some way to release particles and fibers into the air. Drinking water may contain asbestos from natural sources or from asbestos-containing cement pipes. How can asbestos affect my health? Asbestos mainly affects the lungs and the membrane that surrounds the lungs. Breathing high levels of asbestos fibers for a long time may result in scar-like tissue in the limgs and in the pleural membrane (lining) that surrounds the lung. This disease is called asbestosis and is usually foimd in workers exposal to asbestos, but not in the general public. People with asbestosis have difficulty breathing, often a cough, and in severe cases heart enlargement. Asbestosis is a serious disease and can eventually lead to disability and death. Breathing lower levels of asbestos may result in changes called plaques in the pleural membranes. Pleural plaques can occur in workers and sometimes in people living in areas with high environmental levels of

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