How can you be exposed to asbestos?
In the past, companies mined asbestos minerals to use in making many types of consumer products. Although most products no longer contain asbestos, it’s still used in a few products in the United States and in some other countries. Asbestos is present in old asbestos containing consumer products. As these old products break down due to age or improper disposal, asbestos fibers can be spread throughout the environment.
You might breathe in asbestos fibers if asbestos-containing products or rocks are disturbed in some way. In areas that have natural asbestos or low-level asbestos contamination of soil, you could be exposed by
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- Digging or shoveling dirt or using a leaf blower
- Running, hiking, bicycling, or riding off-road vehicles on unpaved surface
- You can also breathe in asbestos indoors if old asbestos materials are present or if someone has tracked asbestos into the house from outside.
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