The History of Asbestos

How long has Asbestos been in use?

• Asbestos has been in use forever, or at least as close to that as to make no difference!
• 'Asbestos' is from the Ancient Greek and means 'indestructible'
• Written documentation about asbestos goes back to the Romans
• The Egyptians embalmed Pharaohs with asbestos
• Medieval knights used asbestos to insulate their armour
• Merchants sold chips of anthophyllite asbestos as part of the 'One True Cross of Christ'. As you can see from the photo, anthophyllite looks a lot like wood.

They would prove that it was part of the one true cross by throwing the wood chip on a fire and showing that it would not burn because of Christ's divine influence.

• Modern commercial mining began in Canada in 1870
• Since the Industrial Revolution asbestos has been used in 3000+ products

When did people recognise that asbestos was dangerous?

• The Romans Recognised asbestos was a health hazard; slaves who had worked in asbestos mines did not fetch a good price.
• In 1897 an Viennese doctor diagnosed a patient's ill health was due to exposure to asbestos.
• In 1906 a British doctor gave asbestos as the cause of death.
• In 1908 insurance companies put up premiums on asbestos workers!

And what happened after it was recognised asbestos was dangerous?

• During WW1, asbestos was used in gas mask filters.
• It was being readily advertised during the '40's, '50's and '60's
• In the 1950s in the USA, blue asbestos was used in cigarette filters
• Import and use of asbestos was still growing in the 1970s
• White asbestos was banned from import and use in 1999

 

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