Asbestos Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Asbestos - Research Paper Example Previously, people did not know the risk associated with asbestos and began to use asbestos in a wide range of activities. With the due passage of time and extensive research by researchers, it was found that asbestos were responsible for a considerable proportion of health risk attached with people. People are both directly and indirectly affected by asbestos. People are directly affected by asbestos through inhalation of considerable amount of asbestos by people in their working environment. Asbestos fibers when exposed to air causes air pollution which indirectly affects people. Direct contact with person who inhaled asbestos can also affect the health of people. It was revealed that exposure to asbestos caused a number of health diseases. A few of them were manageable and some were fatal. Asbestos particles which are released into the air are inhaled by humans by breathing or through a membrane called mesothelium. The inhalation of these fibers can make cells more cancer prone. E arlier mainly the mining workers were exposed to asbestos and affected by it, but due to the wide acceptance of asbestos in industries, schools and housing, the number of people affected by asbestos has increased. The consequences of asbestos inhalation are usually associated with the amount of asbestos the person is exposed to, how often the person is exposed and the tenure of exposure. The main effects can result in asbestosis, pleural mesothelioma or lung cancer (Asbestos, 2010). With the increase in awareness of health diseases associated with asbestos, continuous efforts have been made to minimize its impact on human health. In 1970, the Congress in US passed the Occupational Safety and Health Act with a view to protect workers from occupational hazards. EPA also monitors the exposure of asbestos through its regulations which is known as National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants. This regulation