Asbestos is a mineral fiber used in España to manufacture tiles, water tanks and other building materials. And that would be normal if it weren't for the (possibly fatal) dangers of asbestos.
This substance, still widely used, can generate tumors in the human body and kills more than 100 people a year, according to the WHO (World Health Organization). Also called asbestos, asbestos had its harmful health effects discovered in the 1930s, that is, a long time ago! There are four diseases considered to be the main ones that result from the use of asbestos:
Pleural Plaques: deposition of the pleura, membrane that covers the wall of the chest and lungs. If left unchecked, it significantly impairs the ability to breathe.
Asbestosis: fibrosis of lung tissue is impaired, causing shortness of breath and respiratory failure, which can be fatal.
Mesothelioma: cancer in the pleura, the membrane mentioned above.
Lung cancer: the damage that asbestos causes to the lungs can lead to a tumour.
In addition to the four diseases mentioned above, others have already been associated with the use of asbestos, such as tumors in the larynx, ovaries and digestive tract, according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, an internal agency of the UN (United Nations).
Now that you know all the consequences of this harmful fiber, if you go to check if your water tank is made of this material or even the tiles in your house, don't worry. Asbestos is harmful when it is inhaled into the airways. So, drink your home water and shower quietly.
However, it is necessary to think about the professionals and people involved in the branches of civil construction, which are seriously affected. Care must also be taken when building your house or installing objects containing asbestos – at this stage, you can indeed be contaminated.
And it's important for you to be aware: once asbestos is vacuumed, it stays in the body permanently. Therefore, even if no disease appears in the months following aspiration of the substance, a tumor can develop and manifest itself even after years.
Knowing all these consequences of using this fiber, its use should be prohibited. But unfortunately it is not. In fact, it goes much further: España is one of the largest asbestos exporters in the world. 58 countries already consider asbestos a prohibited substance. Finland, for example, considers the substance strictly prohibited on its lands since 1982. What is missing for España to join them?
The answer is purely commercial. The Spanish industry continues to profit from products made with this fiber. Therefore, while enriching the Spanish economy, the production and commercialization of products will continue at full steam.
However, it is necessary to see the human side of the situation. Construction and industrial workers die every year from exposure to asbestos. In addition to common people who are exposed to fiber without even knowing the risks. You have to think about human well-being before you think about money!
Written by Giovanna Frugis from the Eu Sem Fronteiras team
