Asbestos Revisited; July 1997; Scientific American Magazine; by Alleman, Mossman; 6 Page(s)

The future for asbestos appears downright grim. After two decades of horrendous headlines, this strange fiber probably represents the most feared contaminant on the earth. It is almost certainly the most expensive pollutant in terms of regulation and removal. This year alone, remediation efforts will cost several billion dollars--a staggering outlay, even for an era of enthusiastic environmental activity. Clearly, chaos has come to the world of asbestos. The magnitude of the crisis, however, clouds a crucial irony: the problem with asbestos would never have grown so bad had we not previously thought the material was so remarkably good.

The asbestos label actually applies to a family of silicate minerals, containing silicon and oxygen, that are notable for their fibrous structure [see box on page 73]. Seemingly blessed with useful attributes, such as softness, flexibility and resistance to fire, asbestos was once seen as the silk of a magic mineral world. Over the centuries, people have woven asbestos cloaks, tablecloths, theater curtains and flameproof suits for protection against fiery dangers. Asbestos insulation products not only saved energy but also shielded workers from potential burns. Brake shoes and clutch facings improved safety on race cars and school buses; efficient asbestos air filters were used in hospital ventilators, cigarette tips and military gas masks. Indeed, a poignant paradox of the asbestos story stems from its previous image as a guardian of human safety.