The state of Indiana is making it easier to renew asbestos-removal licenses, reports Indianapolis Business Journal. The state’s environmental agency is giving their asbestos-removal professionals the option of renewing their licenses online.
State officials have noted that the new website, which debuted Wednesday, will bring convenience to asbestos specialists. They also feel it will increase efficiency at the Indiana Department of Environmental Management.
Asbestos removal is an intricate process, which requires certified professionals. The hazardous material can be found in many older homes and buildings, within drywall, tile flooring, roofing and other construction materials. Once desired for its fire retardant properties, the material is now banned from being used.
Although it is now banned, the material continues to pose a serious health risk to those exposed. For when the material is disturbed, during renovation, construction or demolition, the toxic particles can become airborne, and inhaled.
Such exposure has been known to cause several diseases, including mesothelioma--a rare and aggressive asbestos-related disease. The pleural lining of the lungs is most often affected by the disease, resulting in pleural mesothelioma, but the lining of the heart and abdomen may also be affected by asbestos exposure.
Forms of mesothelioma treatment, such as chemotherapy and radiation, are used to treat patients. Such treatment, however, is palliative. There is no cure for asbestos cancer.
Indiana currently licenses 2,500 asbestos-removal professionals each year. The new website will speed up the renewal process, and allow asbestos removal professionals to continue their work in the field, and keep Indiana residents safe.
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