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asbestos
(as-besītәs)
fibrous calcium and magnesium silicate, a nonburning compound used in roofing materials, insulation for electric circuits, brake linings, and many other products
that must be fire resistant. Alternative materials are being developed to replace asbestos because fine asbestos fibers can
be inhaled, causing asbestosis, pleural mesothelioma, and other types of lung cancer. In 1971, asbestos became the first material to be regulated by the Occupational Safety and
Health Administration.

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