Workers on new construction today have little reason to worry about asbestos. Asbestos-based building materials were phased out several years ago and are no longer commercially available to contractors and the general public. But only a few decades ago, asbestos was well regarded in the construction industry because of its outstanding fire retardant qualities and its properties as an insulator of both temperature and electrical current. Moreover, it is derived from abundant, inexpensive minerals such as chrysotile and is easy to produce. Thus, hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions of buildings still standing today, asbestos can be found in tiles, in insulation, and in flooring and ceiling materials. What’s the problem with asbestos? Quite simply, asbestos consists of exceedingly fine fibers that easily become airborne, especially when asbestos-containing materials are cut or broken. Once they are inhaled, they settle in the lungs, where they will remain for the person’s life, since the human body has no means of eliminating asbestos. And unfortunately, asbestos is a carcinogen. In layman’s terms, this means it causes cancer. Brief exposure to asbestos normally does not cause cancer, but prolonged exposure, especially to high concentrations, increases cancer risk dramatically over time. Thus, a person who as read more