Human Health Hazards Associated with Asbestos in Building Materials

Abstract

Asbestos is a fibrous natural material that possesses outstanding technological properties exploited since the time of its discovery for the manufacture of various building materials. Unfortunately, as known since the mid-1950s, both humans and animals exposed to asbestos fibres may develop a number of lethal respiratory diseases. Consequently, international medical and health organizations have classified asbestos as a human carcinogen and many countries worldwide have banned its use. Besides a short historical chronicle, this chapter provides a classification of asbestos minerals, applications in building materials, as well as its toxicity and pathogenicity mechanisms. The global asbestos issue and its use as a building material today will be the core of the chapter. In addition, a section is dedicated to the description of the reclaim, disposal and recycling of asbestos containing materials and a description of the substitutes of asbestos used today in building materials.