Asbestos in your home: 10 areas to look

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that, when disrupted, can emit microscopic fibers into the air. These fibers get embedded in the mesothelium, or thin covering that protects the chest, belly, and heart cavities, if inhaled or swallowed. Prolonged exposure will cause inflammation and, in the worst-case scenario, cancerous tumors such as mesothelioma.

May be found in buildings built between the 1930s and the 1980s. Throughout the design of architecture in the globe, thousands of consumer items containing this material are utilized. Asbestos still exists in many structures today, which exposes individuals to hazardous substances in their homes, workplaces and classrooms:

• Air duct coverings

• Automobile clutches and brakes

• Door gaskets

• Exterior window panels

• Floor and walls around wood-burning stoves

• Gutters

• Heat-resistant fabrics

• Hot water and steam pipes coated with asbestos material

• Insulation

• Oil, coal furnaces, and door gaskets with asbestos insulation

• Pipes

• Popcorn ceilings

• Roofing and siding shingles

• Textured paint and patching compounds on walls and ceilings

• Vinyl floor tiles, vinyl sheet flooring, and adhesives

• Water tank

It is the duty to ensure proper asbestos disposal whether you are the owner, manager, or contractor of a building with contaminated material inside. Otherwise, it’s criminal, even though it is by mistake, and businesses will face fines of hundreds of thousands of dollars for corporate negligence.

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