Asbestos is a mineral
Asbestos is a natural product consisting of needle-shaped fibres, which is mainly extracted in South America, Canada and Russia. It has been widely used in the years 70 because it is easy to handle, heat resistant, strong, abrasion resistant and especially inexpensive. Asbestos is in a bad light because it is carcinogenic. As long as the asbestos fibres have been processed in hard plates (facade plates, fire separators, etc.) it cannot hurt, but as soon as they are seen, asbestos fibres are floating in the air and thus end up in the lungs. This can cause lung cancer, cancer in the peritoneum or the Asbeststof lung (asbestosis). Therefore, for the removal of asbestos, there are special guidelines and specialised companies that can be hired to safely remove the asbestos materials. These diseases are almost uncureable and often pass after years of complaints. Every year, 900 people die in the Netherlands where an asbestos disease is the cause. More information about (the consequences of) asbestos on the website of the housing.
Farewell to Asbestos