Fine particulates and lung tissue don't mix. This is known. They don't even have to be sharp. Black lung happens because the particulates are small enough th

Fine particulates and lung tissue don't mix. This is known. They don't even have to be sharp. Black lung happens because the particulates are small enough that the lungs can't get rid of them but large enough that cellular transport doesn't work and just engulfs them--sort of like how tattoo ink works. Sharp particulates are just adding insult to injury--that's why you get silicosis and asbestosis.