Many products contain asbestos. From 1900 until well into the 1980s, asbestos was commonly used in over 3,000 different products produced through:

· Construction

· Mining

· Milling

· Processing

Asbestos and its products create many small fibers that, when breathed into the lungs, cause serious health problems. The most dangerous health problem is Mesothelioma, a cancer that attacks the lining of the lungs.

In many countries asbestos is still mined, processed and used. In a growing number of others, it is either banned, or its use is severely restricted because of the serious health risks associated with it.

Asbestos can be found in numerous everyday places, such as:

· Ducts

· Furnaces

· Vinyl flooring

· Shingles

· Siding

· Asbestos insulation

· Ceiling tiles

· Ceramic tiles

· Acoustic tiles

· Sheetrock

· Paint

· Automobiles

Asbestos can also exist in surprising places:

· Adhesive

· Fake Snow

· Ironing Board Covers

· Mittens and Mitts

· Wallpaper

· Yarn

How is asbestos used?

· The Construction Industry

Asbestos is used in many aspects of building and construction for insulation, sound absorption, pipe insulation and to strengthen cement.

· In the Automobile Industry

The automotive industry manufactures cars with asbestos in the brake shoes and often in the clutch pads.

· In The Shipbuilding Industry

Asbestos is used to insulate boilers, steam pipes, and hot water pipes. Sometimes, asbestos insulates ship’s nuclear reactors.

· Everyday Exposure

Asbestos paper makes daily life more convenient. For example, table pads use asbestos, as well as beverage filters, wire insulation and heat mats.

In 1979, approximately 560,000 metric tons of asbestos was used in domestic products. That number is reduced today to less than 55,000. However, many products still exist that were produced before asbestos use was restricted.