Asbestos Specific Information

Please refer to the following Web resources for more information on the adverse effects of asbestos, the treatment of asbestos-associated diseases, and management of persons exposed to asbestos.

• Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov
  • For chemical, emergency situations

    • CDC Emergency Response: 770-488-7100 and request the ATSDR Duty Officer

      PLEASE NOTE
      ATSDR cannot respond to questions about individual medical cases, provide second opinions, or make specific recommendations regarding therapy. Those issues should be addressed directly with your health care provider.

  • For chemical, non-emergency situations
    • CDC-INFO http://www.cdc.gov/cdc-info/
    • 800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636) TTY 888-232-6348 - 24 Hours/Day
    • E-mail: cdcinfo@cdc.gov
  • Toxic Substances Portal - Asbestos http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/substances/toxsubstance.asp?toxid=4
  • Toxicological Profile for Asbestos http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/tp.asp?id=30&tid=4
  • TOXFAQs for Asbestos http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaqs/TF.asp?id=29&tid=4
  • TOXFAQs for Asbestos (Spanish) http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/es/toxfaqs/es_tfacts61.html
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) http://www.cdc.gov/
  • National Institute of Safety and Health (NIOSH) Safety and Health Topic - Chest Radiography: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/chestradiography/
  • ILO Classification System - http://www.ilo.org/safework/info/publications/WCMS_168260/lang--en/index.htm
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency http://www.epa.gov
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration http://www.osha.gov

General Environmental Health Information

Please refer to the following Web resources for general information on environmental health.

• Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov
  • Taking an Exposure History CSEM https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/csem/csem.asp?csem=33&po=0
  • To view the complete library of CSEMs http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/csem/csem.html
  • Exposure History Worksheet http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/csem/exphistory/docs/CSEMExposHist-26-29.pdf [469 KB]
  • ATSDR Division of Regional Operations.
    • Through the working relationships they have established with EPA, other federal and state agencies, individual citizens, and community groups, regional representatives are able to maintain current and historic knowledge of the sites and issues in their regions.
    • ATSDR's Regional Offices, along with the states and territories that they cover as well as contact information, can be found at http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/DRO/dro_contact.html
  • ATSDR State Cooperative Agreement Program http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/states/index.html
    • The Cooperative Agreement Program provides essential support in communities nationwide to fulfill the mission of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR).
    • The program funds 30 states and one tribal government to develop and strengthen their abilities to evaluate and respond to environmental public health issues.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) http://www.cdc.gov
  • CDC works to protect public health and the safety of people, by providing information to enhance health decisions, and promotes health through partnerships with state health departments and other organizations.
  • The CDC focuses national attention on developing and applying disease prevention and control (especially infectious diseases), environmental health, occupational safety and health, health promotion, prevention and education activities designed to improve the health of the people of the United States.
• National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH) http://www.cdc.gov/nceh
  • NCEH works to prevent illness, disability, and death from interactions between people and the environment. It is especially committed to safeguarding the health of populations that are particularly vulnerable to certain environmental hazards - children, the elderly, and people with disabilities.
  • NCEH seeks to achieve its mission through science, service, and leadership.
• National Institute of Health (NIH) http://www.nih.gov
  • A part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, NIH is the primary Federal agency for conducting and supporting medical research.
• National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/
  • NIOSH is in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and is an agency established to help assure safe and healthful working conditions for working men and women by providing research, information, education, and training in the field of occupational safety and health.
• American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) http://www.acoem.org/
  • ACOEM is the nation's largest medical society dedicated to promoting the health of workers through preventive medicine, clinical care, research, and education.
  • Its members are a dynamic group of physicians encompassing specialists in a variety of medical practices united via the College to develop positions and policies on vital issues relevant to the practice of preventive medicine both within and outside of the workplace.
• American College of Medical Toxicologists (ACMT) http://www.acmt.net
  • ACMT is a professional, nonprofit association of physicians with recognized expertise in medical toxicology.
  • The College is dedicated to advancing the science and practice of medical toxicology through a variety of activities.
• American College of Preventive Medicine (ACPM) http://www.acpm.org
  • ACPM is the national professional society for physicians committed to disease prevention and health promotion.
  • ACPM's 2,000 members are engaged in preventive medicine practice, teaching and research.
• Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics (AOEC) http://aoec.org
  • AOEC is a network of more than 60 clinics and more than 250 individuals committed to improving the practice of occupational and environmental medicine through information sharing and collaborative research.
• Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Units (PEHSUs) http://www.pehsu.net
  • The PEHSU staff is available for consultation about potential pediatric environmental health concerns affecting both the child and the family. Health care professionals may contact their regional PEHSU site for clinical advice.
• American Association of Poison Control Center (AAPC) http://www.aapcc.org
  • The American Association of Poison Control Centers can be contacted for questions about poisons and poisonings. The web site provides information about poison centers and poison prevention. AAPC does not provide information about treatment or diagnosis of poisoning or research information for student papers.
  • American Association of Poison Control Centers may be contacted at 1-800-222-1222.
• The U.S. National Library of Medicine's Toxicology and Environmental Health Information Program (TEHIP) http://sis.nlm.nih.gov/enviro.html
  • TEHIP maintains a comprehensive toxicology and environmental health web site that includes access to resources produced by TEHIP and by other government agencies and organizations.
  • This web site includes links to databases, bibliographies, tutorials, and other scientific and consumer-oriented resources.
  • TEHIP also is responsible for the Toxicology Data Network (TOXNET®), an integrated system of toxicology and environmental health databases that are available free of charge on the web http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov

Suggested Reading

For further information on asbestos-associated diseases, please refer to

American Thoracic Society. 2004. Diagnosis and initial management of nonmalignant diseases related to asbestos. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine 170:691-715.

British Thoracic Society Standards of Care Committee. 2001. Statement on malignant mesothelioma in the United Kingdom. Thorax 56:250-265.

Peipins L, Lewin M, Campolucci S, Lybarger JA, Miller A, Middleton D, et al. 2003. Radiographic abnormalities and exposure to asbestos-contaminated vermiculite in the community of Libby, Montana. Environmental Health Perspectives 111(14):1733-1739.