Asbestos Found in Electrical Cloth

Asbestos is a natural rock that is mined from the bowels of the earth. It consists of long fibers that can be woven into cloth and used for a wide range of applications. Because asbestos is durable and fire-resistant, it was successfully used as insulation for electrical devices. Electrical cloth was used to wrap electrical wires for insulation and for insulating a wide variety of materials. This practice endangered the lives of both the category of people: those who were engaged in manufacturing electrical cloth and those who lived or worked in buildings or premises that used asbestos-laden electrical cloth.

Asbestos Exposure from Electrical Cloth

Asbestos exposure results in deadly diseases like mesothelioma that have no cure. In the late 90s, scientists and researchers proved this fact beyond a doubt. Those who were in close proximity to the material inhaled its fibers and also carried it home in the form of dust clinging to hair, skin, clothing, and shoes causing secondary exposure to their family members.

Asbestos fibers are friable and easily disintegrate to float in the air around. When inhaled, some fibers lodge in the linings of the vital organs and cause irritation that leads to inflammation. A prolonged gestation period ends in symptoms that eventually spell malignancy. The disease has no known cure and mesothelioma doctors simply adopt a palliative approach. So it is imperative that you check your homes for electrical cloth that used asbestos for insulation, if you live in a house built before 1980.

Electrical Cloth Containing Asbestos Fibers

To remove asbestos containing electrical cloth, use the following precautionary measures mandated by EPA:

• dress properly in disposable gear
• do not run any heating and air circulation systems
• soak the asbestos containing material with detergent water
• remove the asbestos containing material without damage
• dispose off asbestos containing material and gear as per regulations prescribed in your state.

There is no definitive amount of exposure that causes mesothelioma. It has been found that people with neglible exposure to asbestos have contracted mesothelioma while others with major exposure have not. However, the fact that mesothelioma is caused by asbestos exposure cannot be denied. The harm has already been done, and the countless number of lawsuits that are ongoing in the U.S. courts today are proof of that. The Environmental Protection Agency imposed a blanket ban on asbestos-containing products in the 1980s, but the effects will continue to be felt up to 2030, according to a conservative estimate.