3 ms·

So your argument is, because people get mesothelioma from living near natural deposits of asbestos, we should put more of the stuff in our homes? "What's a litt

So your argument is, because people get mesothelioma from living near natural deposits of asbestos, we should put more of the stuff in our homes? "What's a little more cancer?" Your own source material shows just living near asbestos gives you higher risk of cancer. You're trying to argue that we aren't at significant risk without prolonged exposure. Living with asbestos is prolonged exposure. Increasing the amount used in products that we all live around/near will increase the risk and incidence of cancers.

gus_massa 8y ago
Smoke detectors have a radioactive source, and we put them inside our homes, because the radiation level is so low that the increase of the risk is minimal. Walls have a tiny amount of radioactive material, but they protect you from the radiation of the exterior. I don't know if the walls increase or decrease your cancer risk. There are many thinks that may cause cancer. It's important to calculate the risk of each one, because you can't avoid all of them.
- shadofx 8y ago
  https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/asbestos/ https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/asbestos/ The difference between asbestos and radiation is that there is no "safe" amount of asbestos exposure, according to OSHA.
- falcolas 8y ago
  Nit: most smoke detectors don't use radioactive materials anymore - they are inferior to the infrared sensors that operate on the same principals.
- peterwwillis 8y ago
  If 55 other developed nations can ban use of asbestos, we can too. There's no need to calculate the risk if we can just avoid it entirely. Why poison yourself if you don't need to?
- zaarn 8y ago
  Only industrial smoke alarms use radioactive sources and even then only some types (you need different types for different situations). The radioactivity in a smoke alarm is already negligible when you hold it in your hand, never mind when it's mounted on a ceiling. Additionally the americium-241 used in smoke detectors is mainly alpha decay and a sheet of paper will stop it, the remaining radiation that is dangerous is gamma and it's exposure is so far below annual average background that you might not even bother. Flying in a plane will expose you to a thousand times more radiation.

gus_massa 8y ago

Smoke detectors have a radioactive source, and we put them inside our homes, because the radiation level is so low that the increase of the risk is minimal. Walls have a tiny amount of radioactive material, but they protect you from the radiation of the exterior. I don't know if the walls increase or decrease your cancer risk. There are many thinks that may cause cancer. It's important to calculate the risk of each one, because you can't avoid all of them.

shadofx 8y ago
https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/asbestos/ https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/asbestos/ The difference between asbestos and radiation is that there is no "safe" amount of asbestos exposure, according to OSHA.
falcolas 8y ago
Nit: most smoke detectors don't use radioactive materials anymore - they are inferior to the infrared sensors that operate on the same principals.
peterwwillis 8y ago
If 55 other developed nations can ban use of asbestos, we can too. There's no need to calculate the risk if we can just avoid it entirely. Why poison yourself if you don't need to?
zaarn 8y ago
Only industrial smoke alarms use radioactive sources and even then only some types (you need different types for different situations). The radioactivity in a smoke alarm is already negligible when you hold it in your hand, never mind when it's mounted on a ceiling. Additionally the americium-241 used in smoke detectors is mainly alpha decay and a sheet of paper will stop it, the remaining radiation that is dangerous is gamma and it's exposure is so far below annual average background that you might not even bother. Flying in a plane will expose you to a thousand times more radiation.