Asbestosis is a lung disease caused by inhaling asbestos fibers. The first symptoms can be felt from twenty to fifty years after exposure to asbestos fibers.
People with asbestosis have shortness of breath and sometimes cough. They know a weight loss. Smokers are more at risk.
The leading causes of death among people with asbestosis, are broncho-pulmonary cancer and cancer of the pleura (the envelope of the lungs). France is estimated between 2500 and 5000 deaths per year by 2025 among those who were exposed to asbestos fibers.
There is no treatment that can cure for asbestosis. Strict standards for exposure to asbestos remains the best protection.
The use of asbestos is totally prohibited in France since 1997. In 1998, Canada argues against the ban at the WTO. The WTO justifies the ban in 2001. The EU adopted the ban in 2005, excluding wine filters containing asbestos.
Quebec is still trying to prove that asbestos is safe when handled safely. Asbestos producers are in Quebec, Africa, Australia and Brazil. Asbestos is imported in some countries of Asia, Africa and South America.
16 avril 2010
| The text above is for information purposes only. Only a doctor can diagnose a disease. No treatment (medication or scheme) should be undertaken without consulting a health professional. |