Since when asbestos mined, processed and used?

Asbestos has been mined, processed and used to manufacture goods for at least 2.000 years and has been mined and used commercially in North America since the late 1800S. Its use greatly increased during World War II. Since then, asbestos has been used in many industries. For example, the building and construction industries have used it for strengthening cement and plastics as well as for insulation, roofing, fireproofing, and sound absorption. The shipbuilding industry has used asbestos to insulate boilers, steam pipes, and hot water pipes. The automotive industry uses asbestos in vehicle brake shoes and clutch pads. Asbestos has also been used in ceiling and floor tiles; paints, coatings, and Adhesives; and plastics. In addition, asbestos has been found in vermiculite-containing garden products and some talc-containing crayons.

However, the more recent heavy use of asbestos, from the late 1880s to the 1960s, caused Laborers to be exposed to it in such quantities that cases of Asbestosis and mesothelioma from asbestos exposure became widespread. Thousands of people have died of mesothelioma and Asbestosis since the 1930s, and medical specialists expect this epidemic to continue for the next 20 years. The lag time between initial asbestos exposure and the onset of these deadly diseases is typically 30 to 40 years and has been as long as 60 years.