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A unique characteristic of asbestos is that it easily breaks down from its visible form into progressively smaller pieces until it is microscopic in size. Asbestos fibers can therefore be in the air and inhaled without the person being aware of their presence. Also, because asbestos fibers are small and light, they can stay in the air for a long time allowing them to be a hazard for extended periods of time. They do not quickly settle and are easily stirred up when in this form. Their small size allows them to travel deeply into the respiratory tract and become lodged within the smallest spaces of the lungs. People can be exposed to asbestos fibers through occupational exposure, paraoccupational exposure, neighborhood exposure, and environmental exposure. Exposure that occurs while a person works with asbestos or asbestos products experience occupational exposure. These are workers who renovate buildings with asbestos in them, install break shoes, manufacture fire retardant cloth and clothing or use construction materials that include asbestos. Exposure that occurs to workers' families by inhaling asbestos fibers transported from the workplace on clothes and the workers' hair and skin is called paraoccupational exposure. Neighborhood exposure occurs when people who live near asbestos related operations inhale asbestos fibers that have been released into the air by the operations. This would occur near mining operations and some manufacturing sites.
