ASBESTOS REMOVAL
Health risks associated with asbestos removal

If asbestos is not removed upon detection, then it becomes an exposure hazard. When disturbed improperly, asbestos removal can release asbestos fibers, which can be inhaled into the lungs, creating serious health risks. The fibers can remain there for a long time, increasing the risk of disease. Asbestos material that would crumble easily if handled, or that has been sawed, scraped, or sanded into a powder, is more likely to create a health hazard.

The risk of lung cancer and mesothelioma increases with the number of fibers inhaled. The risk of lung cancer from inhaling asbestos fibers is also greater if you smoke. People who get asbestosis have usually been exposed to high levels of asbestos for a long time. The symptoms of these diseases do not usually appear until about 20 to 30 years after the first exposure to asbestos.