Although asbestos use has decreased since 1980 in the United States, homes and buildings built before that year can still contain asbestos. Potential home owners in Virginia and other States or those seeking to remodel an older home should be aware that prolonged asbestos exposure can cause many health concerns. The inhalation of airborne asbestos fibers can cause related illnesses such as asbestosis and mesothelioma.

Citizens of Virginia and other States are no strangers to asbestos. Its extensive industrial history shares a relationship with asbestos use. Naturally-occurring throughout the Appalachian Mountains and the state, asbestos has also appeared in a variety of housing and construction applications.

Highly praised for its heat and fire resistant qualities, asbestos offered many unique characteristics that were needed in many industrial usages. Some of the worst corporate polluters on the planet such as Dow and DuPont have been stationed in the state. Shipyards such as Newport News Shipbuilding and Lyon Shipyard have also resided in Virginia and have a long history with heavy asbestos use. There are now many green, sustainable options that not only replace the need for asbestos, but can even reduce energy costs.

Although asbestos use has decreased since 1980 in the United States, homes and buildings built before that year can still contain asbestos. Potential home buyers in Virginia or those seeking to remodel older homes in other States should be aware that prolonged asbestos exposure can cause many health concerns. The inhalation of airborne asbestos fibers can cause related illnesses such as asbestosis and mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma is an aggressive form of asbestos cancer that accounts for nearly three percent of all cancer diagnoses in the country. Mesothelioma metastasis can occur when the illness spreads through the lymph nodes or the blood stream. This can occur in the disease later stages as it can take anywhere from 20 to 50 years for mesothelioma to develop, making it extremely difficult for physicians to accurately diagnose this disease.

The large amounts of asbestos incidents in the last century lead to mesothelioma lawyer groups fighting for victim rights. Millions of workers, civilians and military personnel were casualties of the asbestos scandal. Manufacturers of asbestos knew of its toxic qualities, but swiftly ignored these facts for financial gain. It has been one of the many notable joint government and corporation cover-ups in the 20th century.

Implementing eco-friendly materials as asbestos replacements can also lead to a decrease in energy costs and help move Virginia to use green methods of insulation and piping. As responsible inhabitants of Earth, we are obligated to nurture and sustain this planet. These options include the use of recycled building materials like cotton fiber, cellulose and lcynene foam, which can decrease annual energy costs by 25 percent.

Inspecting your home and possibly removing asbestos by a licensed professional is worth the expense and time. The Virginia Department of Labor and Industry assists the enforcement of state and federal regulations in regards to the inspection, removal and disposal of asbestos. Non-regulated asbestos material can be legally performed by homeowners, regular contractors, or licensed asbestos abatement contractors. These contractors are trained in handling dangerous materials and are licensed in their appropriate state. It is strongly recommended for individuals not to disturb any suspected asbestos as it can release fibers into the air.

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