As an insulator it was used in the manufacture of pipes and pipe insulation, and in other products such as heat shielding panels and protective clothing and equipment. Because of its durability and adaptability as a strong bonding agent it was also incorporated into floor tiles and sheet rock. In the US asbestos consumption peaked in the early 1970s, and then as the incidence of lung cancer and asbestosis in American asbestos workers became apparent it was declared a hazardous substance and regulated. This directed the EPA to directly deal with asbestos exposure in public and private schools. Asbestos removal, containment and disposal is now an ongoing process in all private and public buildings, government owned facilities and manufacturing and industrial plants.
Active research is ongoing to find a safe alternative.
The project scope included providing uninterrupted heating service to Minot Air Force Base while removing asbestos from large hot water holding tanks and later encasing tanks using fiberglass insulation. This project required careful coordination of each task. Stapleton Redevelopment Corporation Denver, CO K AI is currently under contract to perform Oversight and Project Design of Asbestos Removal, Lead Removal, and Monitoring Demolition for the redevelopment of Stapleton International Airport. For more details, click here . Asbestos fibers are milled from raw asbestos mined from ore deposits and it is still mined in Australia, Canada, South Africa and the former Soviet Union.