The Harmful Effects of Asbestos on Your Lungs
More recently, asbestos and not smoking, is found in some parts of the world, especially in the North American continent, to be the main culprit for lung cancer. Financial interests are high and the games of guilt are also part of more or less directed scenarios. The European Union has banned asbestos in marketing and, theoretically, the same thing happens in all member countries.
Asbestosis is a high risk for construction workers, plumbers, welders, caregivers, metallurgical, automotive mechanics, pipe fitters, locksmiths.
Currently, asbestos is still used to produce sprays used in thermal or acoustic insulation of buildings, some textiles (ropes, tapes, elastic strings), in tubes coated plates for floor or roof. Asbestosis-induced diseases are neither few nor with a less unfavorable prognosis. Most often asbestos is the cause of cancer, such as mesothelioma, but also pleural effusion or development of nodules. Mesotheliomas generally occur 20-40 years after the initial exposure to asbestos. As this is a severe disease, nowadays the use of asbestos has been minimized. However, the long, asymptomatic evolution of the disease keeps asbestosis on top of the most severe health problems.
Currently, diagnosis of asbestosis is determined in the presence of at least three factors: a history of asbestos exposure, presence of radiographic changes (suggesting pulmonary fibrosis), objective changes targets visible at the physical examination, presence of pulmonary rales and the absence of other causes of pulmonary fibrosis.
It is clear that the exposure to asbestos is a major human health problem, a problem that needs to be put on the agenda of each country and each executive, an issue that should occupy a priority in activities of disease prevention. Asbestos must continue to be a main concern for both the employer and the country and there must be actions of prevention of disease risks in workers.
European Conference on the dangers of asbestos, which was held in 2003 in Dresden and attended by representatives from different European countries and senior officials of the European Commission, has pointed out that EU law prohibits marketing and use of substances or products containing asbestos since 1990. However, not all European Union and North American countries take seriously the terrible danger that asbestos poses to human health.
The United Kingdom, In The Center Of The Scandal
Britain is considered the EU country with the highest number of deaths caused by inhaling asbestos. British doctors estimate that over 3,500 Britons die each year as a result of cancer caused by asbestos and specify that the number of such disorders is increasing; asbestos material was still excessively used in the ’80s by contractors in construction, particularly in London suburbs. Because of the increased mortality rate, the British authorities have banned the importation and use of most asbestos-based products. Moreover, mayors of large urban areas in Britain were forced to draw up a register of buildings in whose construction asbestos was used, increasing funds being allocated for the decontamination of the buildings.
Canada Continues The Profit Strategy
Despite the international prohibitions, the Canadian authorities refused to close asbestos mines, which still operate in the province of Quebec. Quebec is actually the second producer of asbestos in the world after Russia, and the mining activity is in state custody, benefiting from large budget funds. Canada exports asbestos to poor countries like in the Third World and to China. Canadian authorities challenged in 1999 the World Trade Organization French decision to ban imports of Canadian asbestos, but lost the case, contrary to their expectations, given that until then, the WTO officials encouraged import operations in similar processes.
More recently, asbestos and not smoking, is found in some parts of the world, especially in the North American continent, to be the main culprit for lung cancer. Financial interests are high and the games of guilt are also part of more or less directed scenarios. The European Union has banned asbestos in marketing and, theoretically, the same thing happens in all member countries.
Asbestosis is a high risk for construction workers, plumbers, welders, caregivers, metallurgical, automotive mechanics, pipe fitters, locksmiths.
Currently, asbestos is still used to produce sprays used in thermal or acoustic insulation of buildings, some textiles (ropes, tapes, elastic strings), in tubes coated plates for floor or roof. Asbestosis-induced diseases are neither few nor with a less unfavorable prognosis. Most often asbestos is the cause of cancer, such as mesothelioma, but also pleural effusion or development of nodules. Mesotheliomas generally occur 20-40 years after the initial exposure to asbestos. As this is a severe disease, nowadays the use of asbestos has been minimized. However, the long, asymptomatic evolution of the disease keeps asbestosis on top of the most severe health problems.
Currently, diagnosis of asbestosis is determined in the presence of at least three factors: a history of asbestos exposure, presence of radiographic changes (suggesting pulmonary fibrosis), objective changes targets visible at the physical examination, presence of pulmonary rales and the absence of other causes of pulmonary fibrosis.
It is clear that the exposure to asbestos is a major human health problem, a problem that needs to be put on the agenda of each country and each executive, an issue that should occupy a priority in activities of disease prevention. Asbestos must continue to be a main concern for both the employer and the country and there must be actions of prevention of disease risks in workers.
European Conference on the dangers of asbestos, which was held in 2003 in Dresden and attended by representatives from different European countries and senior officials of the European Commission, has pointed out that EU law prohibits marketing and use of substances or products containing asbestos since 1990. However, not all European Union and North American countries take seriously the terrible danger that asbestos poses to human health.
The United Kingdom, In The Center Of The Scandal
Britain is considered the EU country with the highest number of deaths caused by inhaling asbestos. British doctors estimate that over 3,500 Britons die each year as a result of cancer caused by asbestos and specify that the number of such disorders is increasing; asbestos material was still excessively used in the ’80s by contractors in construction, particularly in London suburbs. Because of the increased mortality rate, the British authorities have banned the importation and use of most asbestos-based products. Moreover, mayors of large urban areas in Britain were forced to draw up a register of buildings in whose construction asbestos was used, increasing funds being allocated for the decontamination of the buildings.
Canada Continues The Profit Strategy
Despite the international prohibitions, the Canadian authorities refused to close asbestos mines, which still operate in the province of Quebec. Quebec is actually the second producer of asbestos in the world after Russia, and the mining activity is in state custody, benefiting from large budget funds. Canada exports asbestos to poor countries like in the Third World and to China. Canadian authorities challenged in 1999 the World Trade Organization French decision to ban imports of Canadian asbestos, but lost the case, contrary to their expectations, given that until then, the WTO officials encouraged import operations in similar processes.
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