Related Terms

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Background

• Asbestos is a fire-resistant fibrous mineral that was commonly used to insulate buildings until it was discovered to be a health hazard. Asbestos fibers are able to be woven much like plant fibers (such as cotton). Asbestos fibers are hundreds of times thinner than human hair, and a microscope is needed to see them. These minerals are useful because of their resistance to most chemicals and heat. Asbestos is classified as a silicate and includes six minerals: chrysotile, crocidolite, amosite, tremolite, anthophyllite, and actinolite.
• Asbestos, along with crystalline silica, is classified as a group-1 carcinogen, according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). A Group-1 carcinogen is an agent, group of agents, mixture, or exposure circumstance that has been found, with sufficient evidence, to cause or contribute to the development of cancer in humans.
• Worldwide, asbestos has been banned in 40 countries. Countries that continue to mine and export asbestos include Russia, Canada, Kazakhstan, China, and Brazil. Public concern has encouraged some of these governments to make worker exposure limits more stringent (on a level similar to that in the United States). The slower rates of change in these countries have been attributed to factors such as lack of governmental support for trade unions and social movements. One example of this is the formation of the workers social protection organization, ABREA, in Brazil in 1995. This organization has lobbied the government on behalf of workers for greater health protection as well as to ban asbestos in associated products, such as automobile brakes. Despite such changes, asbestos continues to be mined and exported. For example, Canada continued to supply the United States with more than 80% of its asbestos needs between 2002 and 2005. The United States also continues to export asbestos (including re-exports coming in from other countries) despite ending intentional mining in 2002.
• Despite being banned for health and safety concerns in developed countries such as the European Union, Australia, and Japan, asbestos continues to be used extensively in developing countries such as India and China. The United States is an exception to the trend in developed countries, where asbestos is still being used in construction, typically with the use of cement asbestos piping.
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Technique

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Theory/Evidence

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Health Impact/Safety

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Future Research or Applications

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Author Information

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References

Natural Standard developed the above evidence-based information based on a thorough systematic review of the available scientific articles. For comprehensive information about alternative and complementary therapies on the professional level, go to www.naturalstandard.com. Selected references are listed below.

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