About Asbestos

In Australia, all of the asbestos types were used in various applications up until the late 1960s.White, and some brown, asbestos usage continued until the early 1980s, including in building products.

Asbestos products were considered light, cheap and durable, with the added quality of being fire retardant. Because of this, asbestos product use in Australia was prolific, especially during the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s when its usage was at its peak. During this time, asbestos products were regularly used in the construction of public buildings such as schools and hospitals, as well as in office blocks, factories and homes. Many buildings even have asbestos sprayed into them for acoustic and insulation purposes.

In Australia, most homes built before 1980 contain asbestos in some form.

Asbestos can commonly be found in

Behind stoves, heaters and radiators
Flues on gas appliances
Acoustic ceilings
Gaskets
Brake and clutch linings
Some paints and plaster
Fencing

When asbestos products deteriorate or are disturbed, dangerous minute asbestos fibres and dust, that are frequently not visible to the naked eye, are released. When inhaled or swallowed the asbestos fibres can lodge in internal organs and cause cancer many decades later.

Asbestos disease usually takes about two decades or more to develop after asbestos exposure occurs. Not everyone exposed to asbestos will develop an asbestos related disease. The greater the exposure to asbestos, the greater risk of disease. However, some people have developed asbestos cancer after only minor asbestos exposure.

There is therefore no safe level of asbestos exposure.

Asbestos can cause diseases, such as

Mesothelioma

An incurable cancer of the lining of the lung or stomach. Asbestos is the only known cause of mesothelioma. Minimal asbestos exposure is enough to cause this cancer.
Lung cancer

Asbestos exposure alone can cause lung cancer, although it is more common in those who have also been smokers. The combined affects of smoking and asbestos exposure can increase the risk of developing lung cancer by up to 90% of those who have not been exposed to either carcinogen. The only way to reduce the risk of lung cancer is to stop smoking.
Asbestosis

Usually associated with very heavy asbestos exposure. It is not a cancer, but can be very debilitating and cause increasing breathlessness, chest tightness and coughing. Asbestosis can progress even after asbestos exposure has ceased, and can ultimately result in death because the added strain placed on other organs.
Pleural plaques

These are markings on the lining of the lung and act as indicators of past asbestos exposure. In most cases, pleural plaques do not cause symptoms. Sometimes chest tightness and breathlessness can be found to be due to pleural plaques. Pleural plaques are not necessarily a precursor for more serious asbestos disease.
Gastrointestinal tract cancers

Heavy asbestos exposure has been found to be related to some gastrointestinal tract cancers such as those affecting the larynx and oesophagus. Asbestos exposure and gastrointestinal tract cancer is less common.