Types of Asbestos and How to Deal With Them

As much as we love our planet earth, sometimes mother nature tends to throw a couple of challenges at us. Floods after rainstorms, erosion of our home’s exterior materials, and molds forming in our homes are common occurrences, which we all tend to wish never happen to us. Asbestos are toxic fibres that circulate in the air after earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, and/or fires. The airborne nature of asbestos makes them very easily inhaled, and pose a big threat to our health. The inhalation of asbestos can even lead to mesothelioma — a fatal lung cancer. Six different types of asbestos have been identified, and here are some tips on how to best survive them.

Asbestos is a generic term we give to a group of six naturally occurring minerals composed of silicon, oxygen, hydrogen, and various metals. Known for their high flexibility, good heat resistance, and low electrical conductivity, asbestos are widely used in commercial products. All are odourless and tasteless, making them very difficult to measure the level of asbestos exposure. Aside from their commonalities, the six different types of asbestos are separated into two groups — serpentine and amphibole. Serpentine asbestos is curly and made from sheets of crystals. The only type of asbestos that belongs to the serpentine family is the chrysotile, or white asbestos, which is the most common asbestos mineral.

The family of amphibole asbestos have a long chain-like structure of fibres that are sharp and straight. The other five types of asbestos —amosite, crocidolite, anthophylite, tremolite, and actinolite—all belong here. Amosite, or otherwise known as brown asbestos or mineral grunerite, as well as crocidolite, or blue asbestos are most commonly used commercially. Crocidolite releases needle-like fibres that are more easily inhaled, making it the most lethal form of asbestos. Anthophylite is one of the rarest types of asbestos, and poses the least risk in causing mesothelioma. Tremolite tae various colours, and may even become transparents, while actinolite can appear in different forms and colours.

Since asbestos is so widely used in construction and other commercial products, your house may be at a high level of risk. The older your house is, the more likely your walls, floors, ceilings, and building exteriors contain asbestos. So, contact an environmental consulting firm to help you determine whether there is asbestos in your house. If the answer is positive, look into asbestos abatement right away. Asbestos abatement may be a big investment, but it is for your long term health. There is currently no known cure for asbestosis, so once you catch it, medication and breathing treatments can only try to improve your conditions.

If you have more questions or concerns regarding asbestos treatment, feel free to book an appointment today. Matrix Remediation has had many years of experience in asbestos abatement in Alberta and offers reliable services with competitive prices. Although asbestos was a popular material used in construction back in previous year, it’s now banned, and there are much safer materials to use in construction today. Feel free to contact us now at 1-888-885-8683, or by email at info@matrixremediation.com.