Asbestos fibers can have a serious effect on your health if inhaled. There is no known safe exposure to asbestos and the more you are exposed to asbestos, the greater chance you have of developing an asbestos-related disease, such as lung cancer, mesothelioma (a rare cancer of the lining of the chest and abdomen lining), cancer of the stomach, intestines, and rectum.

A non-cancer-related disease associated with asbestos inhalation is asbestosis, a scarring of the lungs that leads to breathing problems and heart failure. Individuals who have helped manufacture asbestos or asbestos-containing products run a significantly higher risk of being affected by asbestosis.

The first signs of an asbestos-related disease may develop as late as 30 years after the exposure to asbestos.