U.S. fully bans asbestos, which kills 40,000 a year
wapo.st
In a move the EPA deemed ‘historic,’ the agency has banned chrysotile asbestos, the only form of the cancer-causing mineral that the U.S. still imports and uses
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I would think most of those applications should be able to use an alumino-silicate based refractory ceramic fiber. Kaowool is one brand, but there are many like it.
It has its own problems in regard to silicosis but that's only after it's been exposed to higher temperatures and are easily mitigated with most particulate respirators. Also, if I remember correctly, the silicosis threat requires very long term exposure. I do know of at least one company developing a silca-free version too, which would eliminate the silicosis threat.
I use it in glass manufacturing with temperatures 2000°F+ so I'm quite confident it'll hold up to any application where asbestos is being used.
EDIT: It will hold up in any application unless there's a problem with certain chemical reactivity I should say*. I don't expect that would be a common problem, but I'm sure it could happen. I'm admittedly not well versed on asbestos since I've never tried speccing it out for anything, haha.
Dust from refractory isn't good to breathe. Koawool still has warnings not to inhale the fluff. Anything that has silicate in it is a respiratory hazard when it has particles small enough to get into your lungs. And it, like asbestos, will cause issues. The speed at which these issues show up is linked to the amount you are exposed to. If you breathe clouds of the stuff for weeks on end, it'll show up a hell of a lot quicker than if you are exposed irregularly over years. ANY TIME you are working a SILICATE based material, you should be wearing respiratory protection (or around any dust really, even you are cleaning air vents or sanding wood). Silicosis is a killer, dust doesn't belong in lungs.
Oh yeah? How is it for making Chlorine...because that's one of the big uses for chrysotile asbestos (the kind that was just banned.)