Tel: 1-800-722-5589
email: rtsenviro@comcast.net

Resources

The Link Between Asbestos Exposure and Cancer Risk

A mineral ore mined and refined to produce a strong, versatile fiber, asbestos is used in hundreds of construction and building materials. When we think about possible sources of asbestos in the home, we typically think of insulation. However, asbestos-containing materials can be found in other products in your Washington DC, Maryland, or Northern Virginia home, including some roofing and siding shingles, vinyl flooring, and textured paint. The EPA banned all new uses of asbestos in 1989, but uses developed before 1989 are still allowed in many industries, as asbestos is resistant to heat, fire, and chemicals.

People may be exposed to asbestos in the workplace or home. When products containing asbestos are disturbed, tiny fibers are released into the air; when breathed in, these asbestos fibers may get trapped in the lungs and remain there for a long time. Those fibers can eventually lead to lung scarring and inflammation, as well as serious health problems, including cancer.

Asbestos Exposure Risks

Prolonged exposure to asbestos may increase the risk of lung cancer and mesothelioma, or cancer of the thin membranes that line the chest and abdomen. Mesothelioma can affect in the lining of the lungs, the abdomen's peritoneum, or layer that covers the abdominal cavity and organs, the pericardium, or membrane that surrounds the heart, or even in the lining surrounding the testicles. The symptoms of mesothelioma can show up 20 to 50 years after initial exposure to asbestos. Symptoms may include unexplained weight loss, chest pain, shortness of breath, coughing, and fatigue. There is no known cure for mesothelioma, but treatment options include surgery, chemotheraphy, and radiation.

Lung cancer can also be causes by the presence of asbestos fibers in the body. Symptoms of lung cancer include difficulty breathing, blood in sputum, coughing and chest pain, weight loss, and fatigue. Lung cancer symptoms often appear long after initial exposure to asbestos.

For more information on asbestos and the danger it could bring to your home and your family, contact RTS Environmental Services. Serving Washington DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia, RTS Environmental Services has completed thousands of mold and asbestos inspections and solutions in such areas as College Park, Sterling, and Bethesda.

Serving Washington DC, Maryland & Northern Virginia – Areas includes: Adamstown, MD - Alexandria, VA - Annandale, VA - Arlington, VA - Ashburn, VA – Bethesda, MD - Burke, VA - Centreville, VA - Chantilly, VA - Chevy Chase, MD – Clarksville, MD - College Park, MD – Columbia, MD – Damascus, MD - Ellicott City, MD - Fairfax, VA - Falls Church, VA – Frederick, MD – Gaithersburg, MD – Germantown, MD - Great Falls, VA - Herndon, VA – Kensington, MD – Knoxville, MD – Laurel, MD - Leesburg, VA - Mc Lean, VA – Middletown, MD – Monrovia, MD - Mount Airy, MD, Mt. Airy, MD - New Market, MD - Oakton, VA – Olney, MD – Potomac, MD - Reston, VA – Rockville, MD - Silver Spring, MD - Springfield, VA - Sterling, VA - Takoma Park, MD – Urbana, MD - Vienna, VA - Wheaton MD