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FAQs
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
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