Legacy asbestos: An ongoing public health risk Jean C. Pfau and Tracy McNew from the Center for Asbestos-Related Disease address the legacy of environmental asbestos, which continues to pose a public health risk. Asbestos forms whenever heat, water, and minerals combine through metamorphic and hydrothermic processes to create fibrous mineral crystals. This fibrous structure has led to its use throughout human history as a fire retardant and insulation material that can be woven into many products, from brake linings and tiles, to coats and oven mitts. Because it is a natural component of rock, the fibers can be released and enter the air as dust whenever humans or nature disturb the rock.
Pfau et al. (2026) studied this question.