Gas masks containing asbestos

A gas mask is a piece of breathing equipment that usually consists of a full-face shield, a hose and a detachable metal canister containing an asbestos filter.

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral found in the surface of the earth.  Asbestos fibres are 50 to 200 times thinner than a human hair and can:

• float in the air for a long time
• be invisible to the naked eye 
• be inhaled into the lungs.

Gas masks with asbestos breathing devices are dangerous to the user’s health. If the mask is used as a breathing apparatus, the user is exposed to asbestos fibres through the filter. This can lead to their developing mesothelioma, a form of cancer almost always caused by asbestos.