Asbestos Exposure and Asbestos Containing Products
Products that contain asbestos
Acoustical Plaster
Adhesives
Boiler Wall Coat
Bonding Cement
Cement Siding
Cork Board
Cork Covering
Cork-Filled mastic
Corrugated Paper
Duplex Block
Duplex Pipe covering
Ehret Block
Millions of buildings in the United States still contain asbestos and there are new products sold every day - brake pads, roofing and packing materials, floor tile. Contrary to popular misconception asbestos is not banned in the United States. And it is not just old "legacy" asbestos that is a problem. New products continue to be sold with asbestos.
In the mid-1980s, scientific concern about asbestos hazards prompted the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to propose a ban on all asbestos-containing products. The industry challenged the ban in court and commissioned a massive compilation of information on the benefits, as well as the potential risks for human exposure. Based on this information, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit found such a ban unwarranted. The court echoed the industry and said:
Intact, undisturbed asbestos-containing materials generally do not pose a health risk. They may become hazardous and pose increased risk when they are damaged, are disturbed in some manner, or deteriorate over time and thus release asbestos fibers into building air.
Asbestos is still a problem because a great deal of it has been used in the United States and elsewhere, because many asbestos-containing products remain in buildings, ships, industrial facilities and other environments where the fibers can become airborne, and because of the serious human health hazards of inhaling asbestos fibers.
In an August 2003 report, the EPA's Office of Inspector General reiterates that asbestos is still a product very much around us: a survey in the mid-1980s found that, on average, 20% of all buildings in the United States contain asbestos. Further, this latest report confirms that asbestos-containing material is still allowed in pipeline wrap, asbestos-cement corrugated sheet, asbestos-cement flat sheet, roofing felt, millboard, vinyl-asbestos floor tile, asbestos-cement shingle, and roof coatings. (Rept. #2003-P-00012).
A 2004 by the Environmental Working Group provides a timely evalution of the asbestos-related disease epidemic in America - a "public health tragedy caused by asbestos." This report documents the history of asbestos use and provides analysis and statistics to inform the political debate currently being waged to resolve the problem.
Pumps
Asbestos exposure from pumps comes primarily from the gaskets and packing. Gaskets are used to create a tight seal at flanges and openings where the pump is attached to pipes and other devices. Some pumps also contain a stuffing box or "gland" around the drive shaft. Packing material is inserted into the box to create a flexible, compressible seal, absorb leaks and ease friction on the moving metal parts of the pump. However, not all pumps incorporate gaskets and packing, and not all gaskets and packing contain asbestos. As a general rule, pumps used for moderate to high-temperature service (such as steam), and for acidic or corrosive chemicals (such as ammonia), most likely have insulation material such as asbestos in the gaskets and packing.
