Los Angeles Asbestos Contractor
Improper exposure to asbestos can lead to serious health risks and is the sole cause of mesothelioma. While a partial ban of asbestos was implemented in 1989 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the material is still used today and can frequently be found in buildings constructed before the ban. Despite its threats to health, asbestos does not always need to be immediately removed. It’s important to understand the nature of this material and the proper time to address it. A Los Angeles, California asbestos contractor from Nielsen Environmental can help
Where Asbestos Is Found
The long-lasting durability and heat- and chemical-resistant nature of asbestos have made it a popular tool in a number of different industries, from construction to commercial products. It was combined with concrete to create a more solid mixture, used for better insulation in houses and applied for sturdier flooring, ceiling and roofing tiles. Heat-emitting devices in vehicles, such as brake and clutch pads, benefitted from asbestos’ sturdy capabilities. Asbestos even made appearances in cosmetics, cigarette filters, plastics, and textiles.
Today, the most common source of concern lies in buildings that contain asbestos. Soundproofing wall insulation, duct connectors, and pipelining are all places the material may be located. This is why any kind of demolition or remodeling may require the assistance of a Los Angeles asbestos contractor,
When Asbestos Is Disturbed
Anything that disturbs or damages asbestos, such as sawing, tearing, scraping, vacuuming, and even sweeping increases health risks to anyone nearby. When asbestos is disturbed, fragments of its fibers float into the air and can inadvertently be inhaled. Its fibers will remain in the lungs for years to come, eventually damaging and scarring tissue and leading to greater health concerns:
- Mesothelioma: Solely caused by asbestos, this involves a tumor that grows on the lining of the lungs, heart, and abdomen; its symptoms usually don’t occur until decades after an elongated exposure to asbestos
- Asbestosis: A chronic disease created by scarring of the lungs
- Pleural effusion: Extra fluid around the lungs
- Pleural plaques: Zones around the pleura that are abnormally thick
When to Leave Asbestos Alone
Asbestos is only harmful when there are increased chances fibers will be released and consequently inhaled. If there is no cause for the destruction of the asbestos and it is located away from busy activity, it may be safer to remain untouched. Attempting to dismantle asbestos can cause greater harm than if it had been left alone. However, if you’re planning on renovations that will likely affect the condition of the asbestos, it is best to have it removed by a professional Los Angeles asbestos contractor.
If you’re considering eradicating the asbestos from your home or business, contact a Los Angeles asbestos contractor from Nielsen Environmental. They can help determine the best course of action for your needs.
Hazards of Asbestos
Asbestos is a durable material made of mineral fiber that is often used in industries like manufacturing and construction for buildings, as an experienced Los Angeles, CA asbestos contractor knows. It was commonly used in older buildings in the U.S. until it was outlawed in the 1970’s after research discovered the many hazards associated with it, severely restricting its use. Today, asbestos is only reserved for specific and limited uses. Asbestos was found to pose serious risks to health, and was responsible for causing chronic illnesses like respiratory illnesses and cancers.
Exposure to asbestos can put people at risk of developing health issues like mesothelioma. When it is disturbed, asbestos can get into the airway and cause severe damage to the lungs. When people are exposed to asbestos for long periods of time, their lungs can lose function. This can cause breathing issues among people who inhale the asbestos fibers. Because asbestos is so hazardous, it must be cleaned up by professionals who have the protective equipment and tools to safely dispose of it.
Tips If You Find Asbestos In Your Building
If you believe that there is asbestos in your home, work building, it is recommended that you call a professional waste disposal company to conduct an inspection. Inform them of what you see and they will explain to you what you should do while you wait for them to arrive at your location to inspect the material. You must be careful with how you approach the area where the asbestos is located.
Asbestos can be easily disturbed, so you must make sure that you do not touch it or get too close to it. Many people make the mistake of handling it with their bare hands or without any kind of protection for their face or body. The safest thing to do is to not attempt to touch the asbestos yourself. If you are unsure if your asbestos needs to be disposed of, contact a Los Angeles asbestos contractor from a trusted environmental disposal service and schedule an appointment.
Why Hire a Professional
Professional environmental cleanup services have the skills, specialized knowledge and experience to safely assess your asbestos issue and clean it up. Professionals have the right tools needed to handle the asbestos and get rid of it. They have knowledge of the specific protocols and procedures, including environmental regulations and local, state, and federal laws that must be followed when conducting an asbestos disposal. Asbestos must be cleaned up properly, or else a serious environmental issue can occur.
Schedule An Appointment
You should schedule an appointment if you believe that asbestos is in your home, place of work, or building. Handling the asbestos without the proper equipment is risky and you may hurt yourself. To minimize your risk of exposure and to prevent yourself from developing an asbestos-related illness, request a consultation with a trusted and experienced Los Angeles asbestos contractor from Nielsen Environmental who you can depend on for quality work.
Illness Related To Asbestos Exposure
As a Los Angeles, CA asbestos contractor from Nielsen Environmental explains, asbestos exposure can lead to Mesothelioma cancer, COPD, asbestosis, pleural thickening, pleural plaques, atelectasis, and pleural effusions. Research also connects asbestos exposure to ovarian cancer, lung cancer, and laryngeal cancer. Asbestosis is one of the most prevalent asbestos-related illnesses. Similar to other types of disease, including Mesothelioma, asbestosis is the result of breathing in asbestos fibers. Symptoms do not usually appear until years after the exposure has already happened. Mesothelioma and asbestosis are among the most known asbestos illnesses, but there are so many others linked to asbestos inhalation or ingestion.
There are two different asbestos exposure disease categories: malignant and benign, or cancerous. But despite some diseases being nonmalignant, they can still pose a risk to that person’s life. Malignant asbestos diseases include lung cancer, ovarian cancer, laryngeal cancer, pleural Mesothelioma, and peritoneal Mesothelioma. Malignant diseases that are possibly connected to asbestos exposure entail colon cancer, stomach cancer, and pharyngeal cancer. Conditions such as asbestosis, pleural thickening, hyaline pleural plaques, atelectasis, pericardial effusion, and peritoneal effusion are all examples of nonmalignant asbestos-related illnesses. Other cancers that may be associated with exposure to asbestos include gallbladder cancer, throat cancer, kidney cancer, and esophageal cancer.
Symptoms of exposure to asbestos include wheezing, persistent cough, fatigue, shortness of breath, clubbed fingertips, and pain in shoulder or chest. The first signs of asbestos poisoning are chest tightness, dry cough, and crackling or dry sounds in the lungs when inhaling. The most common method used to determine if you have been exposed to asbestos is an x-ray of the chest. But the x-ray in itself cannot detect asbestos fibers, but can identify early signs of lung disease that is from asbestos exposure. In most people with asbestosis, symptoms may appear around within 20-30 years after exposure. But if someone is around asbestos for an extended period of time, like a decade or longer, the latency period for symptoms is closer to 20 years. It is possible to develop asbestos-related disease after just one exposure, if the exposure was enough to cause asbestos particles to accumulate and get stuck in the body’s tissues.
While we do not intend to startle people with this information, it is the only way to understand the serious risk of absorbing asbestos material. Asbestos particles are tiny, and cannot be seen in the air itself, which makes it even more dangerous to be around. We hope that if you are worried about your exposure, or your families or employees, that you take action now to remove it. Even though symptom development often doesn’t happen for decades later, it doesn’t mean that exposure to it now should be shrugged off.
There are instances in life when we can handle something ourselves without professional assistance, but this is not one of those times. We cannot emphasize enough the risk of attempting to remove asbestos by yourself without professional help, training, and equipment. If you need asbestos removed now, then call a Los Angeles asbestos contractor from Nielsen Environmental today.
