Of these minerals, chrysotile is the least dangerous to human health and is the only one extracted in Canada. Chrysotile fibres are very fine, flexible and highly resistant to heat, whereas the other types are more brittle and have a harsher texture. In recent years, asbestos has come under close scrutiny as a potential health hazard. It is now known that in an uncontrolled environment in the work place, there is a risk of pneumoconiosis or cancer following long-term exposure to asbestos dust. Where there is a high incidence of disease, it is almost always work-related.
Smoking is an important cofactor.
The risks associated with chrysotile asbestos can be reduced to acceptable levels by employing the best available dust control technology. Regulations have also been developed and enforced rigorously to control exposure to asbestos dust. According to historical records, the Romans were the first to use asbestos. More than 2000 years ago they shrouded their dead in asbestos cloth before cremation. Later, both Greeks and Romans used asbestos for lampwicks that seemed to burn forever.