When you purchase a new home, it is now commonplace to determine whether there is asbestos in the house. If the asbestos is friable, meaning it is likely to become airborne, it is usually recommended that the asbestos be removed.

Each jurisdiction contains various regulatory requirements for asbestos removal. Some states have statewide requirements which dictate who can engage in asbestos removal and the procedures to be followed. This is serious business that should not be taken lightly. A homeowner should never attempt to remove asbestos by him/herself.

Asbestos is a group of minerals that occur naturally. They are strong flexible fibers that are separated into thin woven threads. Because they are not affected by heat or chemicals and do not conduct electricity, they have been often used in industrial applications.

About ninety percent of the asbestos that is found is called chrysotile asbestos. It is white asbestos that is curly and flexible. Amosite is another kind of asbestos characterized by straight brittle fibers that are light gray to pale brown. Corcidolit is blue asbestos, which is characterized by straight blue fibers and anthophyllite consists of brittle white fibers.

Asbestos masses tend to break off easily into dust, composed of tiny particles that can float in the air and stick to clothing. There are serious health affects associated with inhaling asbestos. Care must be taken that your family members do not do so.

Asbestos has been used commercially in North America since the late 1880s, but its increase in use occurred dramatically after World War II. The building and construction industry used it to strengthen cement and plastics and also for insulation, fireproofing, and sound absorption. There is also historic use in the ship building industry and the automotive industry. Over five thousand products contain or at least at one time contained asbestos.

In the late 1970s the Government banned the use of asbestos in wallboard patching compounds and fireplaces because they released large amounts of asbestos into the environment. Manufacturers voluntarily stopped using it in electric hair dryers. Domestic use of asbestos amounted to 560,000 metric tons in 1979 and dropped to 55,000 tons in 1989.

According to the National Cancer Institute, asbestos exposure can increase the likelihood of contracting asbestosis, which is a chronic lung ailment that produces shortness of breath and permanent lung damage, lung cancer, and mesothelioma, a rare cancer of thin membranes that line the chest and abdomen. Other cancers are also linked to asbestos exposure.

If you find insulation in your house and do not know whether it contains asbestos, be careful. Have a professional evaluate it. You do not want to remove that insulation unless you are sure that it is asbestos free. Even if it is asbestos free, proper respiratory measures should be evaluated. Not everyone exposed to asbestos will develop diseases related to its exposure. In fact, the National Cancer Institute reports that some people experience no ill effects. In addition, asbestos that is bonded into finished products such as walls, tiles, and pipes generally does not pose a risk as long as the materials are not damaged or disturbed.

Sawing or drilling around the materials can disturb them. Any activity that releases the fibers into the air is dangerous and should be avoided. When asbestos products are released and inhaled, persons are at risk of becoming seriously ill.

Here is the key: once these fibers work their way into body tissue, they tend to stay there. Persons who have been exposed to asbestos in the home or at work should inform their physician. The National Cancer Institute recommends a thorough physical examination, including a chest x-ray and lung function test. Interpretation of the x-ray may require the help of a specialist who has experience in reading x- rays for asbestos related disease. Asbestos can be a very dangerous product. Be very careful when you are around it.

The information provided in this column is written by Stuart Lieberman,a practicing environmental attorney, and is for general information purposes only. It is not legal advice and should not be used in place of legal advice.

Stuart Lieberman, Esq., and IRED.Com, Inc., will not accept any responsibilty for any reliance on the information in this column or any damages whatsoever resulting from reading this column.