How long has asbestos been in use? |
|
|
Although asbestos is often thought of as a product of the modern industrial and ethnical age, it actually has been in use throughout recorded history. The Ancient Greeks named the mineral asbestos, meaning inextinguishable and were aware not only of its fire-retardant qualities but also of its adverse effects on the lungs of those who worked with it. Asbestos use declined in the Middle Ages but became in use again during the 1700s It wasn't until the late 1800s and during the Industrial Revolution that it became a very popular resource in manufacturing.
Asbestos was first used in the United States in the early 1900s to insulate steam engines. After World War II, and for the next thirty years, people who constructed and renovated schools and other public buildings used asbestos and asbestos-containing materials (ACM) extensively.
Asbestos has been used in various products since the 1900s, but the peak usage years were between 1950 and 1975. It was considered an ideal material to use, since it resembles fibers such as cotton and wool in its pliability and softness, yet it is inflammable and acid resistant.
