In the 1970’s people began to worry about the health risks associated with asbestos and throughout the 70’s many of its uses were banned by the EPA (https://www.epa.gov/asbestos/us-federal-bans-asbestos). Prior to this people had no clue as to what types of dangers asbestos exposure caused, how to avoid them or even that the materials they were around everyday contained asbestos. A prime example of this can be found in this article about a little girl wearing her dads work coat which was covered in asbestos fibers that eventually caused her to develop mesothelioma from this secondhand exposure (https://www.forbes.com/sites/tarahaelle/2017/03/24/asbestos-linked-cancer-remains-a-killer-just-as-asbestos-remains-commonly-used/#6d553cff3314). However, even today many people are unaware of the dangers that asbestos can pose to us. One example of that includes homeowners and contractors that do not know what ages and types of materials may contain asbestos within our homes and that once disturbed, if the proper precautions are not taken, those particles create dangers for those directly involved as well as others. Many people start home renovations and have no idea that they may be disturbing asbestos and creating health risks. As you can see in the following article some residents near Yass Valley Council Australia have been dumping asbestos containing materials in the trash and not disposing of them properly (http://www.yasstribune.com.au/story/4526262/detection-of-asbestos/?cs=1050). This means that many unknowing people may have been exposed to the dangerous asbestos fibers, which can cause a slew of health problems. The homeowners in these situations are subject to the greatest risk since the dust and fibers can be harbored all around their house if a proper containment wasn’t used during removal and result in prolonged exposure to asbestos. Taking the time to understand what’s lurking beneath the surface of our homes and allowing professionals who are trained in proper removal and disposal techniques can mean the difference between living a healthy life and one plagued by illnesses caused by this often invisible and highly hazardous material.
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