Fear of possible asbestos contamination in book collection.

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Ever wonder why I was wearing this full protective coat suit?

A rare collection of books and newspapers were under quarantine for fear of possible asbestos contamination, furthermore, they need specialized mechanical cleaning under the supervision of the preventive conservation team at the British Library, and I was lucky to be among this preventive conservation team, the year 2013.


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A specialized training program about handling bindings and mechanical cleaning methods & tools has been done to the asbestos cleaning company staff by the preventive conservation team.

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What is Asbestos?

Asbestos is a group of six naturally occurring heat resistance minerals microscopic fibrous. (Chrysotile [white asbestos], Amosite [brown asbestos], Crocidolite [blue asbestos], Tremolite [can be white, grey, green or transparent], Actinolite, and Anthophyllite). 
Through the 1970s, asbestos was used for heat insulation as fireproof roofing and flooring and used for a variety of other purposes.

Why Asbestos is dangerous?

When asbestos is damaged, it releases tiny fibers into the air, these fibers can easily be inhaled without the person even noticing and trapped in the nose or throat, or they can work their way into the lung causing disease over time such as asbestosis. When these fibers enter the lungs they damage and scar lung tissue and can cause serious conditions including lung cancer. 

According to Asbestos.com, the Symptoms of asbestos exposure affecting the Lungs exposure include respiratory complications such as:
  • Shortness of breath
  • Chest pain
  • Dry cough or wheezing
  • Crackling when breathing. 
  • High blood pressure, 
  • Swelling of the face, neck, or fingertips 
  • Extreme fatigue

Signs of Asbestos Exposure Affecting Other Parts of the Body:
  • Abdominal swelling and distention
  • Abdominal or pelvic pain
  • Bowel obstruction
  • Hernia
  • Weight loss
  • Loss of appetite
  • Hoarseness
  • Difficulty swallowing
  • Clubbed fingers

Worldwide, 67 countries and territories have banned the use of asbestos. However, despite the proven health risks associated with asbestos exposure, many countries continue to use asbestos. According to Ben Leer (17 September 2012) in his article “Why Isn't Asbestos Banned in the United States?” The United States does not completely ban asbestos. While it is banned its use in certain items, it is legal for use in products such as clothing, pipeline wraps, vinyl floor tiles, millboards, cement pipes, disk brake pads, gaskets, and roof coatings.

In fact, Britain used to be one of the world’s largest importers of asbestos and while the use of asbestos was banned in the UK in 1999, it can still be found in many old buildings and structures.

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Sherif Afifi
Creating a Knowledge Sharing Culture
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