A link between exposure to asbestos dust and fibres and the development of mesothelioma was first discovered in the 1960s.

When asbestos is disturbed or damaged it releases tiny fibres which can  be inhaled into the lung and cause irritation.  This leads to a build up of scar tissue(fibrosis) and can cause cancer: a mesothelioma.

Asbestos which is completely sealed, and not shedding any dust or fibres, is safe.

The time between being exposed to asbestos and the appearance of a mesothelioma takes many years, and has been estimated to take between 30 to 40 years.  It is very rare for the cancer to appear in less than 15 years from the time of exposure.

Asbestos imports into the UK stopped in the 1980s but the long interval between exposure and the discovery of cancer means that many people are still at risk.  As a result mesothelioma is actually becoming more common, and statisticians suggest that the present number of about 2000 new cases each year in the UK, will continue to rise to a maximum of about 3000 new cases a year by 2020, before the numbers start to fall.

There does not seem to be a safe level for asbestos exposure.  Some people have developed mesotheliomas after contact with only small traces of the material.  In general, however, the risk is much less with lower levels, and of all the people who have worked with asbestos only a small proportion will develop a mesothelioma. 

Asbestos was widely used in insulation materials, such as amosite insulation board, and building materials, like asbestos cement.  The jobs in which people are most likely to have been exposed to asbestos include construction workers, plumbers, electricians, boiler makers, shipbuilders and demolition workers.

There are three types of asbestos: blue, brown and white.  Blue and brown asbestos have been most commonly linked with mesothelioma. Originally it was thought that white asbestos was not dangerous but more recent studies have shown that it too can sometimes cause cancer. Therefore the use of asbestos has now been banned in the UK since 1999.