asbestos

Study of Societal Impact
The environmental and societal impact of the exposure of asbestos fibres out of brake pads is a positive one. First of all, exposure to airborne asbestos fibres is extremely damaging to ones health. Airborne asbestos fibres are natural components of ambient air arising from natural minerals in the earth's crust which are commonly used in typical brake pads for cars. (http://www.urbanadventure.org/2003/safety/s_asbest.htm) As cars wear down, asbestos fibres are released into the environment and exposure to them has been proven to cause disease. Once these fibres enter the lungs through the air we breathe, the body's defence mechanisms try to break them down and remove them. Despite these attempts, many fibres remain in the body and can potentially cause diseases. On the positive side, most materials in good condition will not release asbestos fibres, and there is minimal danger unless fibres are released and inhaled into the lungs. Therefore, the complete remov...