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What to Do if There Is Asbestos in Your Garden

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Do you think there is asbestos hidden in your garden? It is essential to know the proper safety steps in dealing with this hazardous material.

What to do if there is asbestos in your garden? Do you need help from a professional? What are the risks of having asbestos in the garden?

This article discusses the right action if you find asbestos in the garden or home and the risks of having this material in your environment.

Exposure to asbestos causes mesothelioma, a type of cancer that starts in the lining of tissue in the internal organs.

Ninety percent of approximately 3,000 Americans diagnosed with mesothelioma are affected by asbestos exposure. That’s why it’s crucial to know the correct procedures if there is asbestos in your garden.

Knowing the different mesothelioma stages is also essential to immediately get treatment for this condition.

Steps You Should Follow if There Is Asbestos in the Garden

There are many risks linked to exposure to asbestos. This naturally occurring material is hazardous, and it is best to know the correct procedure for dealing with it.

Some cities and states passed laws that ban homeowners from independently removing asbestos from their houses. Asbestos removal in some states requires permits from pollution control agencies.

The first thing you need to do is seek professional advice. There are some natural materials that look similar to asbestos, and it can be challenging to determine if you are actually dealing with the hazardous material.

Experts can examine the material and take a part of it to be thoroughly examined in a laboratory. Once you get the result, you will know the next step you need to take.

There are cases in which asbestos is best to be left alone, when the mineral is in good condition and is not disrupted. Leaving asbestos alone is the best response because removing it may release the deadly fiber in it.

If the asbestos is disturbed, it may release fibers that you can inhale, causing adverse side effects to the body. If you do constant work on your garden, it may be best to have professionals remove the asbestos.

You can contact the owner before the removal procedure if you rent your home. The owner may be responsible for the removal and ensuring that the situation is safe.

No federal law says it is illegal to remove asbestos by yourself. The Environmental Protection Agency allows homeowners to take action to dispose of asbestos from their houses.

However, it is crucial to consider the health and safety risks of asbestos exposure. It is highly recommended that homeowners hire experts to carry out the procedure.

Risks of Having Asbestos in the Garden

Asbestos was used before in construction, mainly in the walls or cement, around pipes, and roofs. The usage of asbestos was banned due to the risks of exposure to it, which leads to serious health problems. Asbestos or materials that contain the mineral are illegal on the market.

The risks of having asbestos in your garden are minimized as long as it is not disturbed, and exposure to it is unlikely.

However, if the fibers break down into small particles and are released into the air, you, your family, and your pets at home are at risk of developing severe illnesses.

Inhaling the fibers released from asbestos can cause inflammation and scarring in your lungs. You have a high risk of developing illnesses such as:

  • Lung Cancer. There are two types of lung cancer, small-cell lung cancer and non-small-cell lung cancer. The treatment for these two conditions varies as they develop differently as well.
  • Pleural effusions. Asbestos can cause pleural effusion, and the building up of fluid in the lungs is one effect of mesothelioma. This condition is also called “water on the lungs,” which prevents you from breathing normally.
  • Kidney cancer. Asbestos is linked to human kidney cancer and may be regarded as a likely cause of cancer.
  • Rare cancer type. Miners, construction workers, and people who work around asbestos are at risk of developing a rare cancer type known as pleural mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that develops in the tissue around the lungs and chest wall.

There are four mesothelioma stages. In the early stages, stages 1 and 2, the tumor grows along the lining of one lung and eventually spreads in the lymph nodes.

In the latter stages, stages 3 and 4, tumors reach farther tissues and remote lymph nodes.

Lastly, metastasis occurs, and tumors spread further into the body. Check out mesotheliomagroup.com for more details on this disease.

Exposure to asbestos does not mean you are going to develop an illness. Generally, time is an essential factor in the level of risk. If you are exposed to the mineral longer, you have a higher risk of developing an illness.

Let us look at some of the factors that can determine the risk of developing diseases related to asbestos:

  • Intensity. The amount of asbestos you were exposed to
  • Duration. The amount of time you were exposed to asbestos
  • Personal risk influence. Your lifestyle and conditions before the exposure, such as whether you smoke or have lung disease before the exposure
  • Genetic mutations. A change in your genes increases the risk of developing a disease

References

  1. Asbestos and kidney cancer: the evidence supports a causal association

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2672801/

  1. Pleural Mesothelioma

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15044-pleural-mesothelioma

  1. Asbestos Exposure and Your Health

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/11394-asbestos-exposure-and-your-health

  1. Step-by-step plan: what should I do if I discover asbestos?

https://www.government.nl/topics/asbestos/question-and-answer/step-by-step-plan-asbestos

  1. Why is asbestos dangerous?

https://www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos/dangerous.htm