Asbestos: mining exposure, health effects and policy implications

Asbestos: mining exposure, health effects and policy implications

The purpose of this paper is to review research in the health effects and risks associated with exposure to asbestos and then to use this scientific evidence to analyze the implications of Canada's current policy on the use, manufacturing and export of asbestos. The review begins with a brief historical introduction to asbestos, and then moves on to look at the risks associated with asbestos ex...

Health implications of environmental exposure to asbestos.

The health impact of environmental pollution resulting from the industrial use of asbestos can be assessed in three ways. First, there are the direct epidemiological surveys. These indicate that domestic exposure has been responsible for cases of mesothelioma and possibly lung cancer and radiological changes in family contacts of asbestos workers. Exposure in the neighborhood of crocidolite min...

Effects on health of exposure to asbestos

Asbestos abatement workers versus asbestos workers: exposure and health-effects differ.

Szeszenia-Dąbrowska et al. [1] provided an interesting view on the current state of asbestos-related diseases in Poland. Observation reported in this study can be extended to other developed nations. As mentioned by the authors, asbestos exposure levels have dramatically changed since the 1950/1960’s (e.g., 8 to 0.001 f/cc). The type of activity associated with asbestos has also changed. Histor...

[Asbestos and public health policy in Brazil].

A hundred years since initial observations on the pathogenicity of asbestos fibers, there is now consensus that the wide range of their adverse effects (described consistently since 1906) constitutes a serious public health problem. The burden of disease, disability, and early death attributable to occupational and/or environmental exposure to asbestos fibers (in all their forms) has been chara...