Asbestos facts for kids
Asbestos is a group of six natural minerals. They are found all over the world. Asbestos minerals are made of tiny, strong fibers. These fibers are special because they don't burn. They also stop heat from passing through. Because of these cool features, asbestos was used a lot. It was put into building materials. It was also used in insulation and car brake pads. People have used asbestos for a very long time. Even ancient Egyptians used it!
However, asbestos is very dangerous for people and animals. If its tiny fibers get into the air, they can be breathed in. This can cause serious lung diseases. Some of these diseases are asbestosis and mesothelioma. Scientists found a link between asbestos and lung cancer in the 1970s. By 1980, other materials started to replace asbestos in most products.
Types of Asbestos
There are six main types of asbestos minerals:
- Chrysotile (often called white asbestos)
- Crocidolite (known as blue asbestos)
- Amosite (called brown asbestos)
- Anthophyllite
- Tremolite asbestos
- Actinolite asbestos
What Replaced Asbestos?
After asbestos was found to be harmful, people looked for safer materials. Here are some things that replaced asbestos:
- Fiberglass: This is a very common replacement. It looks and acts a lot like asbestos. However, some people are also worried about its safety.
- Carbon fiber: This material is lighter than asbestos. But it does not handle heat as well.
- Wood fiber with cement: This mix is used where heat resistance is not needed.
- Various polymer and plastic fibers: These are man-made fibers.
- Synthetic or fiberglass rope: These replaced asbestos rope.
- Vermiculite insulation: This is a common substitute. But sometimes, vermiculite can have small amounts of asbestos in it.
- Basalt fiber: This is a mineral fiber. It is good for very hot places.
- Mineral wool: This is a popular replacement in Europe.
- Silica aerogel: This is one of the best insulators. It is not made of fibers. Scientists believe it is safe to breathe.
Images for kids
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Industrial scale asbestos mining began in 1878 in Thetford township, Quebec. By 1895, mining was increasingly mechanized.
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Canada's biggest power shovel loading an ore train with asbestos at the Jeffrey Mine, Johns-Manville Co., Asbestos, Quebec, June 1944
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The applications of asbestos multiplied at the end of the 19th century—this is an advertisement for an asbestos-lined clothes iron from 1906
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Asbestos fabric
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Rockbestos, asbestos covered wire advertisement in Exhibitor's Herald, 1926
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In Guy's Hospital, London, 1941, nurses arrange asbestos blankets over an electrically heated frame to create a hood over patients to help warm them quickly
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Older decorative ceilings, similar to this one, may contain small amounts of white asbestos
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1929 newspaper advertisement from Perth, Western Australia, for asbestos sheeting for residential building construction
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A laboratory heat spreader made of asbestos, on a tripod over a Teclu burner
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World production of asbestos (metric tons) from 1900 to 2017 with trend line
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Asbestos warning label under EU directive of 1983
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Asbestos Products Ltd (Sydney) asbestos cement corrugated roofing for export
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Researcher using a fiber length classifier to produce length-selected fibers of asbestos for toxological studies
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Corrugated asbestos roof (with Fibre cement)
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Wailuku, Hawaii post office sealed off for asbestos removal
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Example of asbestos cement siding and lining on a post-war temporary house in Yardley, Birmingham. Nearly 40,000 of these structures were built between 1946 and 1949 to house families
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An asbestos glove
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The M60 machine gun crew member responsible for a hot barrel change was issued protective asbestos gloves to prevent burns to the hands
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A household heat spreader for cooking on gas stoves, made of asbestos (probably 1950s; "amiante pur" is French for "pure asbestos")
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Gasket, containing nearly unbound asbestos
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Chrysotile asbestos
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Asbestos fibers
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Asbestos
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Blue asbestos (crocidolite), the ruler is 1 cm
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Blue asbestos, teased to show the fibrous nature of the mineral
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See also
In Spanish: Asbesto para niños
