Asbestos News
Australian flood debris may contain asbestos
The flooding that parts of Australia experienced early in the year is still posing hazards, as asbestos was recently found in some debris.According to 7 News Queensland, the carcinogenic material was recently found in debris in Brisbane and Ipswich, leading some to worry that those in the area were exposed to the deadly mineral fibers.
Contact with asbestos can have grave consequences as it can cause malignant mesothelioma, asbestosis and lung cancer. The World Health Organization estimates that such illnesses claim the lives of 107,000 people each year around the world.
Brisbane Lord mayor Graham Quirk said that people may have been exposed to the substance.
"I can't give any guarantee that there weren't people that were placed in situations where they were handling asbestos," he told the news source. "In reality a lot of the asbestos that was handled was also probably wet - and that is the saving grace that we have in this situation."
Damp asbestos doesn't pose as great a threat because the water prevents the mineral fibers from becoming airborne. It is the inhalation of these fibers that causes asbestos-related diseases.
5/5/11
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