If you have not experienced it for yourself, you probably have heard from your parents or grandparents about a little thing called asbestos. This mineral is naturally produced and has been used by humans for millennia.
Archeologists have found proof that prehistoric people used it to increase the strength of their ceramic pots! Indeed, the first evidence of this kind was found in Finland, whose ancient cultures fortified clay pots and culinary utensils with this mineral.
Ancient Greece also was not immune to the seemingly magical properties of asbestos either. They were the first to describe its properties in a manuscript called On Stones by Aristotle’s successor Theophrastus.
Similarly, the Romans were not far behind the Ancient Greeks, giving this mineral its official name in Latin “asbestinon,” meaning “unquenchable.” In particular, the so-called naturalist Pliny was also the first-ever to notice the harmful impact of asbestos on human beings.
This apparently fantastic mineral did not even pass by the Ancient Egyptians! They were in awe of its abilities, declaring it practically unburnable and even claiming that one could dress entirely in it and walk through fire without any injuries!
The Persians went even further when it came to asbestos, creating clothes and napkins from it, which they would then “clean” by throwing into the fire, to their guests’ amazement. They believed that his element was the fur of an animal called samandar, born in a fire and died in the water, according to legend. This later spawned the myth that the salamanders were resistant to fire. Read more about this myth on this link: https://www.wired.com/2014/08/fantastically-wrong-homicidal-salamander/
But none of these antique cultures scratched even the surface of what asbestos could do. Sure, this mineral was neat for tricks and treats to show to children, but the technology used efficiently was simply lacking.
The birth of a miracle stone
The real rise of asbestos came in the middle of the 19th century. While the Industrial Age was going at full speed, they were looking to utilize all of the Earth’s resources to improve humans’ lives. That is where this material came in.
This mineral’s fire-resistant properties made it the ideal insulator when building houses, especially those in places with colder climates. It was the difference between surviving at freezing temperatures or, finally, comfortable home life for many people.
While people were walking over each other to get to California in time for the gold rush, the real gold rush was happening in the hills of Quebec. This Canadian province was so rich with asbestos that they even named a town after it!
Soon after, the Russian Empire and Italy joined in the excavation of this precious mineral, and the US followed quickly behind in 1899. By the end of the century, this material was present everywhere. You could find it in concrete, bricks, floors, roofs, pipes, and even lawn furniture! Chances were, if you lived in a house in the 19th century, it was likely 90 percent asbestos.
So, what happened? Well, you might think that the people at the time were not aware of the dangers this mineral poses to human health, which is why they used it so liberally. Unfortunately, you would be wrong.
The hazardous effects of asbestos were noted as early as 1902, right during its boom in the building industry, and some countries such as Britain even went as far as to list it as a dangerous industrial substance! Click here for more information about this.
A poisonous history
Now, you may wonder how come the use of this valuable but ultimately harmful material kept going until well into the 1980s? Although nowadays this information is widely available and known to all, at the time, it was concealed by authorities and governments worldwide so they could continue to capitalize on the building benefits it offered.
Despite various deaths of people who worked closely with this mineral, and even an official disease named asbestosis, the impact of asbestos was largely kept from the general public. The research conducted on it led to several policies to prevent this illness. Still, they mainly consisted of requiring ventilation in buildings built with it and making the disorder a work-related illness that is excusable.
While the use of asbestos has been largely banned in many world countries these days, its adverse effects persist, just like the buildings built with it. It was impossible to tear down all of the structures that incorporated this mineral, as it would have left millions homeless, and their destruction would have caused more harm than good.
Indeed, the World Trade Center’s infamous attacks on September 11th and their subsequent collapse released incredible amounts of asbestos. Some sources cite figures as high as 1,000 tons of this material being released into the environment, likely contributing to the rise of respiratory illnesses in Ground Zero first responders and New York City residents in general.
From all of this information, it is evident why people would be concerned about the potential presence of asbestos in their homes. But it can be challenging to detect it by yourself, considering the microscopic particles it contains, which cannot be seen with the naked eye.
That is why we highly recommend you have a professional inspect your home, especially if it was built before the 1980s. Doing this can save you heaps of money in health bills and, in some cases, even your life!
If, unfortunately, it does end up that your house has this mineral within its foundation, you must contact specialists who can remove it safely and completely. One such company is Irwin asbestos commercial, with a proven track record of keeping people safe. Trust us; you will not regret making that call.
Lastly, be careful when you are purchasing a house. Make sure to hire a trusted inspector to examine it and see if there is anything off about it. You might not know how to spot this insidious threat, but an experienced expert surely will.