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One Asbestos Fiber Can Become A Hundred

When enough force is applied, asbestos fibers break along their weakest points, resulting in a linear fragmentation pattern. This process allows one larger asbestos fiber to become hundreds of thinner, smaller fibers. As asbestos fibers fracture, they become airborne and remain suspended in the breathable atmosphere for long periods of time—hours and even days.

Exposure Can Occur in Several Ways

Asbestos can put you and your loved ones at risk for contracting mesothelioma through many channels. And unlike asbestosis, the disease can develop with as little as one exposure. Here are the most common ways exposure occurs:

Direct or Occupational

People who worked with or near asbestos, such as miners, firefighters, ship builders, construction workers, or factory workers, are the most susceptible. These employees directly handled the processing of the mineral; the integration of the material to form another product (i.e., reinforced cement); or the application of the product via a spray (i.e., fire-retardant on ships, buildings, etc.)

Second-Hand or Paraoccupational

Men who worked in direct contact with asbestos or asbestos-containing materials would unknowingly bring loose fibers into their homes through their clothing, hair, or skin. Then the fibers would become airborne when disturbed, like when contaminated clothing was washed, or even when family members embraced them.

Women who laundered their husbands’ clothes would often shake them out before washing, in order to get some of the “dust” or asbestos fibers out: dangerously exposing themselves and their home even more. The European Journal of Cancer Prevention estimates this form of indirect exposure makes up approximately 20% of all mesothelioma cases in industrialized countries.

Community At-Large

Communities near asbestos mines and processing facilities are unfortunately exposed to the asbestos carcinogen, forcing some towns to close up, and potentially thousands of residents to become ill. Often, mines would use and distribute asbestos material as fill for construction projects, playgrounds and gardens. Then strong winds would carry the fibers into towns causing illness to its residents and forcing many manufacturers to seek bankruptcy protection.

Libby, Montana is the best example of a town’s vulnerability to this toxic mineral where thousands of residents became sick after exposure from town’s vermiculite mine, which contained tremolite asbestos—an especially dangerous form. Listen to radio interview with journalists' who led multi-year Libby investigation and authored book, An Air That Kills.

Asbestos Fibers Act Differently

Asbestos fibers act differently in the body once they are inhaled than other inhaled substances.

• Particles between .5 and 5 microns in diameter are not capable of being deposited in the respiratory regions of our bodies
• Asbestos fibers are up to 10 microns in diameter and are able to make their way to the lower regions of our lungs

Once fibers reach the lungs, small fibers are engulfed by special cells in the lung tissue called macrophages, which digest as much of the fiber as possible and transport remaining fibrous debris to the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system then acts as a filter to get the foreign material out of the body. Often, macrophages, can’t engulf the larger asbestos fibers, leaving them embedded in lung tissue.