8.
Why Was Asbestos Used in Building And Insulation Products?
The primary reason that asbestos was used in building products was
as a binder or filler material. It was cheap and easily available.
It is stringy and resilient, and thus made a good binder. Its
resilience also reduced the breakage of the products between the
factory and the worksite. In pipe covering and other materials,
asbestos created air pockets which provided heat resistance.
Asbestos was marketed for its "fire resistant" qualities.
In reality, at approximately 1200 degrees, asbestos transforms into
an inert mineral. Other materials were available, even in the 1930's
and thereafter, that could have been used (and, in fact, were used)
as substitutes for asbestos without any sacrifice in product
integrity or heat resistance. The asbestos industry peddled asbestos
as a "magic mineral," creating a demand for the material,
without advising of the dangers of asbestos. As a result, thousands
of American workers were injured and killed. It was unnecessary and
could have been avoided.
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injury claim evaluated immediately. To have your claim evaluated,
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