Being one who studies the health effects of occupational toxins, the list members should know that the verdict isn't complete regarding the toxicity of asbestos. Crysotile has always been more of an issue in NA because it is mined in Quebec and the Quebec asbestos industry in the past lobbied its use effectively with the support of the Canadian Government.
Anyways, without going too far on this topic, I guess we should start worrying about our carbon fibre bikes. Believe it or not, many government agencies are performing routine monitoring for airborne carbon fibres over concerns regarding the unknown health effects of this material. The Canadian Military (as pathetic as it may be) treats crashes of military aircraft (F-18s and helicopters) with the same precautions as hazardous waste removals. Who knows, maybe 15 years from now, when the first cases of carbon fibre induced lung cancers are reported, some litigous (excuse the spelling) individual may sue Trek or Specialized for knowingly using a carcinogenic material.
Lawrence Toronto, Canada
David Cooper wrote:
> Asbestos was added to brake shoes (and clutch discs) for three
> reasons: 1) because it could take the high frictional heat without
> disintegrating; 2) because it was abrasion resistant it would not
> wear out quickly when rubbed against steel; and 3) because it was
> soft enough to wear out before the brake disc or drum. Altogether
> asbestos was a great addition to brakes. It was also commonly used
> for its abrasion resistant properties in floor tile. Asbestos was a
> fiber and could be woven or processed in many different ways before
> it was molded into the brake pads or floor tiles.
>
> The problems came up when the asbestos turned into dust which
> happened as a consequence of wear. The dust is highly toxic. The
> modern substitutes (for cars) are metal impregnated which is a harder
> material and therefore does not work as well and it wears the brake
> discs more quickly, but it does not cause the health problems. Brake
> systems have largely been re-engineered to compensate for the
> properties of the modern brake pad materials.
>
> David Cooper
> Chicago, IL