The History Of Asbestos

Asbestos, or asbestiform, are mineral silicates found on surface areas around the world. Heat-resistant, versatile, and enduring, asbestos is used as a construction material for buildings, railways, and homes. You can find it in wall coatings, old tiles, asbestos cement tanks, and areas like roofing and pipes. It is also very toxic and can cause many severe medical conditions like lung cancer, asbestosis, and other diseases.

Regardless of the health hazards that come when used, asbestos today is still found in many products and structures such as houses and buildings.

Asbestos Throughout History

Asbestos has been exploited back as far as 4000 years. Large scale mining of the material did not start until the late 19th century when the housing industry started using it for construction purposes. The word asbestos comes from a Greek word meaning “inextinguishable” or “unquenchable.” There are records from the Roman times that note health issues from asbestos exposure. The first case of asbestosis was recorded in 1924. They would later change it to Mesothelioma since mesothelial cells in the body are the most affected. 

Despite the risks, it became popular, and mining systems began in many countries around the world, where the first ones opened in Quebec, back in 1879. By the year 1900, many doctors discovered that asbestos had many effects, including those who worked in places like asbestos mines and factories. Asbestos also had a role in the Second World War, where it was applied in the automobile and shipping management and in numerous products that required asbestos cement, heat-resistance, siding, and insulation. 

Removal

During the mid-1960s, many asbestos industries ignored the warnings that asbestos had many risks, and this led to many organizations that campaigned for the complete removal of the construction material. It was the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that was responsible for the first set of regulations that removed and banned asbestos products from the market for the public sector in 1973 and the private sector in 1976. However, the private sector continues the manufacturing of asbestos products until today. 

After completing a 10-year study, the EPA pushed to phase out the inclusion of asbestos in many products in 1989. Since then, many new organizations and campaigns have been found, like the AAAI, or Alpha Asbestos Abatement, Incorporated and the AES, or Alpha Environmental Services. All of these have toiled to keep asbestos and its hazards checked and managed. Today, methods that remove and eliminate asbestos include plasma melting processes, thermal decomposition, high-temperature incineration, and combining ultrasound with oxalic acid completely exterminates asbestos fibers.

Removal In Homes

Asbestos removal kits have been in use for a long time, with the first ones dating as far back as the industrial age. As the demand for more efficient and safe equipment has gone up, the variety and versatility of these kits have grown immensely. The removal of asbestos, which is a long and expensive process, should be done by certified professionals, and the excess is delivered to registered disposal facilities in the respective area. 

If you have thought about getting rid of asbestos in your home, then a veteran asbestos removal company in Stockport can be your lifesaver. The company Malrod specializes in asbestos abatement and removal services in the Stockport and surrounding areas. Their personnel are highly-trained, friendly, and know their ways locally, plus the tools and materials like vacuums, bags, testing kits, and others that they use are up to date, high-quality, and can do the work in no time at all. Give the company a ring, and they will be happy to solve any asbestos problem that you may have.

Once asbestos is out of the house or a building, it is brought to a landfill or waste disposal facilities. There are specific routes made for waste-carrying vehicles that must be utilized. Companies working on asbestos removal and other hazardous waste should comply with a license from the EPA. This ensures that the waste is taken care of properly.

There You Have It

By now, you are now aware of what asbestos is capable of doing. History has shown that this material has been employed in many industries, albeit its use has come with consequences, whether or not individuals and companies who used it ignored, kept it hidden, or underestimated its toxic nature. Modern technologies have made way for the development of new and safer means to remove and get rid of asbestos, and the world is a better place to live in thanks to them.