Asbestos Products Produced Today in the United States
Asbestos is fire resistant, absorbs sound, strong, abundant, and cheap, so naturally it was a popular building material in the United States and throughout the world in the 20th century. The thin, needle-like, almost invisible fibers of asbestos appear to be mild: no smell, no taste, and does not immediately irritate the eyes, nose, or throat. However, it is now known that asbestos is a carcinogen, as these tiny fibers become embedded in the lining of lungs and tissue in the throat, causing mesothelioma, asbestosis, lung cancer, and laryngeal cancer. In 1976 the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) went into effect,...
Continue reading