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Which is worse: a line of asbestos, or a line of grounf-up fiberglass? I can’t imagine either is going to do your lungs any good.

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92 points

From what I understand, asbestos is far worse. Fiberglass causes irritation but that’s about it. Asbestos, while it takes its time, will eventually cause mesothelioma and you really don’t want that.

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Really? That’s surprising. I would think inhaling a bunch of ground glass would severely damage your lungs, permanently.

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42 points

Fiberglass is very smooth compared to asbestos, at a microscopic level. That’s what makes asbestos so bad - it gets in there and works its way further in, like a porcupine quill. Fiberglass is by no means healthy, but it’s a fair bit less harmful.

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32 points

Asbestos can get to such a fine point that it can literally physically cleave DNA. Edit: I think I am wrong about that, please see my comment below

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14 points

Yeah, and asbestos does that too and then gives you mega cancer in about 20 years.

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14 points

Fiberglass probably won’t feel nice and might leave some permanent scars, but iirc, asbestos will do that and then some, but with particles so small that your body can never fully get rid of it

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4 points

I thought fiberglass causes silicosis?

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20 points

Both travels down to the aveola level IIRC, but asbestos has a small toxic atom that gets left there, which us why asbestos is so bad for your health.

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