ABSTRACT
Asbestos is the name given to a group of naturally occurring mineral silicates, which are grouped because of their physical and chemical similarity and their consequent general properties. Asbestos is strong, inert, resilient and flexible – and, therefore, almost indestructible. It has been used in a wide range of products requiring heat resistance and insulation properties. In humans it has been claimed with varying degrees of certainty to be a factor in the causation of asbestosis, lung cancer, cancers of the stomach, intestines and larynx, and mesothelioma. There is no safe level of exposure to any form of asbestos; in most cases, long periods of time pass before any effect on an individual can be diagnosed.
