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The Hazards & Health Effects of Asbestos Exposure

Published March 2022

Sources of Asbestos
Exposure to Absestos
Health Effects of Exposure
Conclusion & Action Steps

Sources of Absestos

 Asbestos is a naturally-occurring mineral that forms long, thin, strong fibers. Asbestos fibers do not dissolve in water, and they resist heat and fire. They are not easily broken down by chemicals or bacteria. Because of these factors, asbestos was widely used in building construction materials beginning in the late 1800s. Asbestos is still present in older materials and is still used in some products. Asbestos may be found in:  

  • Flooring, insulation, and roofing   
  • Adhesives, coatings, and paintings  
  • Insulation around boilers, coal and oil furnaces, and steam pipes  
  • Automobile brakes, clutches, and transmission parts 

 

Exposure to asbestos may have serious health effects.   

Age of Housing

Older houses are more likely to have been built with asbestos containing-building materials.  Across the state of Rhode Island, the percentage of older homes varies. 

Higher Risk Industries

 Individuals employed in construction, manufacturing, transportation and warehousing are more likely to be exposed to asbestos because asbestos-containing materials are still used in these industries. 

Exposure to Asbestos

People may breathe in or swallow asbestos fibers, called exposure. It can happen wherever asbestos materials are damaged or disturbed, including in the workplace, home, or community. Undisturbed and well-maintained asbestos material does not present an immediate risk. Asbestos-containing materials that are worn, peeling, crumbling, cracking, or disturbed can release fibers into the air. Asbestos fibers may be released: 

  • During building renovation or demolition projects  
  • By disturbing soil contaminated by natural deposits or old asbestos-containing material 
  • By weathering or erosion of natural deposits. 

Licenses Professionals

You can't tell if a material contains asbestos by looking at it. To find out, a trained, licensed asbestos professional can inspect material, collect samples, and perform analysis.   


If building materials aren’t damaged and won’t be disturbed, you do not need to have them inspected unless the building will be demolished. Material that is in good condition and will not be disturbed should be left alone. 


In order to remove, repair, encapsulate, enclose, or otherwise disturb asbestos in a regulated building in Rhode Island, you must submit an Asbestos Abatement Plan, prepared by a licensed Asbestos Project Designer, to the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH).  For demolition projects, you must have an Asbestos Abatement Plan approved by RIDOH before you get a demolition permit from your city or town.  


Even if your one or two-family home is exempt from the abatement plan requirement for renovations, it is best practice and RIDOH strongly recommends hiring a licensed Asbestos Contractor to perform any necessary removal, repairs, encapsulation, enclosure, or asbestos abatement. Waste with asbestos-containing material is hazardous waste. 

Regulations

The federal Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) and its regulations require public school districts and non-profit schools including charter schools and schools affiliated with religious institutions to:  

  • Inspect their schools for asbestos-containing material  
  • Prepare an asbestos management plan for each school building and to take action to prevent or reduce asbestos hazards 


Rhode Island is one of 12 states that have an AHERA waiver from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to implement and oversee their own regulations for asbestos in schools. Personnel working on asbestos activities in schools in Rhode Island must be trained and licensed in accordance with the Rules and Regulations for Asbestos Control (216-RICR-50-15-1). If asbestos-containing material is damaged or will be disturbed by renovations, it must be repaired or removed. Asbestos abatement must also comply with the federal Asbestos National Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP). RIDOH is responsible for monitoring compliance with AHERA and NESHAP requirements in Rhode Island.  



In addition, the Department of Human Services (DHS) requires compliance with the Rules and Regulations for Asbestos Control for licensure as a child care center or family daycare.


The EPA website provides more information on AHERA and NESHAP.

Health Effects of Exposure

Breathing asbestos can cause tiny asbestos fibers to get stuck in the lungs and irritate lung tissues, causing illness, including asbestosis, mesothelioma, and lung cancer. Symptoms of some of these diseases may not appears until 30 or 40 years after exposure. Some people are more likely to get sick from asbestos, including:

  • People exposed for multiple years, such as those employed to remove asbestos
  • People with compromised lungs, such as those who smoke cigarettes.


Breathing asbestos can cause: 

  • Asbestosis. Breathing in large amounts of asbestos over a long time causes permanent scarring in the lungs. Scarring makes it harder to breathe. Symptoms of asbestosis include coughing, shortness of breath, and chest pain. This chronic disease has no cure, but treatment can help manage symptoms and slow worsening. 
  • Pleural disease. Asbestos exposure causes changes to the lining of the lungs (membrane) and chest cavity (pleura). Scarring in the membrane can cause the lining to become thicker throughout (diffuse pleural thickening) or in specific areas (pleural plaques), or it can cause fluid to build up around the lungs (pleural effusion). People with pleural disease may be more likely to develop lung cancer. 


Asbestos exposure also increases the risk of developing certain cancers:

  • Mesothelioma is a rare cancer that affects the lining of the lungs and chest (pleura), the lining of the abdomen (peritoneum), or lining of other organs. Mesothelioma is the most common form of cancer caused by asbestos, and more than 80% of mesothelioma cases are caused by asbestos exposure. Treatment options are improving.
  • Lung cancer develops in the lung itself, invading and blocking the lung's air passages. Lung cancer is the second most common cancer in the US, and most cases are caused by smoking or radon. People who smoke and have been exposed to asbestos are the most likely to develop lung cancer. While there are treatment options for lung cancer, it is the leading cause of cancer death in the US.
  • Asbestos exposure can also cause cancer of the colorectum, larynx, ovary, pharynx, and stomach. 

What You Can Do

What You Can Do

What You Can Do

  • If you think building material may contain asbestos, assume that it does.
  • Do not disturb asbestos-containing building materials that are otherwise in good condition.
  • During renovations or remodeling, hire licensed asbestos professionals to identify asbestos-containing materials and, if necessary, fix asbestos hazards. 
  • For a demolition project, hire licensed asbestos professionals to identify asbestos-containing material and properly remove it before demolition.

What RIDOH Does

What You Can Do

What You Can Do

  • Certifies asbestos training courses.
  • Licenses asbestos professionals.
  • Reviews and approves Asbestos Abatement Plans.
  • Conducts NESHAP inspections of asbestos abatement projects.
  • Conducts AHERA inspections in schools and ensures compliance with AHERA and the Rhode Island Rules and Regulations for Asbestos Control (216-RICR-50-15-1). Read more about these regulations at the Rhode Island Secretary of State website.

About this Story

This data story was created through a collaboration between RIDOH and the RILDS Center. The project was supported by cooperative agreement number NUE1EH001364-05-03, funded by the Centers for Disease Control  and Prevention (CDC). Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the CDC or the US Department of Health and Human Services.  

Rhode Island EPHTN

Rhode Island's Environmental Public Health Tracking Program is part of a nation-wide network that provides information that allows people to understand and take action to prevent and control environmental hazards and related health effects. 

Learn More

RIDOH Asbestos Control Program

Discover how RIDOH protects Rhode Islanders from exposures to carcinogenic airborne asbestos. 

Learn More

CDC National EPHTN

CDC's National Environmental Public Health Tracking Program delivers information and data to protect the nation from health issues arising from or directly related to environmental factors. 

Learn More

EPA Asbestos

Explore the EPA's webpages for more asbestos information and requirements. 

Learn More

Sources


© 2025 RILDS


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