Asbestos (pronounced /æsˈbɛstəs/ or /æzˈbɛstəs/) is a set of six naturally occurring silicate minerals used commercially for their desirable physical properties. [1] They all have in common their eponymous, asbestiform habit: long (ca. 1:20 aspect ratio), thin fibrous crystals. The prolonged inhalation of asbestos fibers can cause serious illnesses[2] including malignant lung cancer, mesothelioma, and asbestosis (a type of pneumoconiosis). According to the Environmental Working Group Action Fund, 10,000 people die each year from asbestos-caused diseases in the United States, including one out of every 125 American men who die over the age of 50. [30] The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has no general ban on the use of asbestos. However, asbestos was one of the
True
False
True
False
True
False
True
False
True
False
True
False
True
False
True
False
True
False
True
False