Clapper, Patti, Schweizer and Mason

Findings indicate that risks from exposure to naturally occurring asbestos are low but real and should be taken seriously, according to Marc Schenker, professor and chair of the UC Davis Department of Public Health Sciences and the study's senior author. Exposure to asbestos in the workplace such as shipyards and construction have long been known as a risk factor for mesothelioma, but the new study finds a consistent and dose-dependent association between the disease and residential proximity to chrysotile-containing rock such as serpentine. Chrysotile in fibrous form is the most common type of asbestos. Asbestos is a group of silicate minerals that readily separate into thin, strong and flexible fibers that are heat resistant. They are dangerous when inhaled. Schenker advises that public effort should be directed toward understanding the risk and helping people prevent exposure