Asbestos, a mineral used as an insulator and fire retardant during much of the first half of the 20th century, is now a nearly ubiquitous environmental contaminant. Found frequently in buildings, asbestos may be present in a broad range of construction materials, from concrete blocks to flooring.
Asbestos is a human health threat because a single submicroscopic fibril, thousands of which make up a single asbestos fiber, can cause severe lung disease. Only when asbestos is pulverized are the dangerous fibrils released into a dust cloud, which may be inhaled or ingested. The safe removal of asbestos is therefore a delicate and time-intensive process and presents a high risk of exposure. Current practice is typically to leave asbestos undisturbed. It is estimated that billions of dollars ...
  • Loading...
locked icon

Sign in to access this content

Get a 30 day FREE TRIAL

  • Watch videos from a variety of sources bringing classroom topics to life
  • Read modern, diverse business cases
  • Explore hundreds of books and reference titles