A recent article in USA Today, stated that the cost of
removing asbestos from buildings in the United States has topped one hundred
million dollars. Few lives have been saved as a result of the removal of
asbestos contaminated materials. In fact, you are far more likely to die
accidentally in other ways than you are of asbestos poisoning.
In the last 30 years, about 43,000 people have tragically
died from asbestos related diseases, mainly lung cancer. That means that
approximately 5 people die each day as a result of their exposure to asbestos.
This is not many compared to the 20,000 more lost to traffic accidents, as opposed
to mesothelioma.
The good news is that this low disease rate means there is
only a small chance of contracting a disease even if you are doing home
renovations on a house that contains asbestos. Most cases in the past were the
result of faulty handling during the mining and manufacture of materials made
with asbestos. In fact, you have a much greater risk of contracting cancer from
breathing in second hand smoke than there is from breathing in asbestos fibers.
We are spending a lot of money, resources and energy getting
asbestos out of both private public buildings each year. This removal
recommendation may be outdated advice given by the EPA in the days when the
asbestos scare was running wild. Today, the EPA recommends that removal be a
last resort. Instead they say to enclose it or paint over it.
If you are still not convinced that asbestos is safe as long
as it is enclosed or covered, then you may want to hire Calgary asbestos testing to deal
with the problem. Just be aware that it may be very expensive and you have to
ask yourself if it is really necessary.
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