Question- What are synthetic vitreous fibers and what adverse health effects are associated with exposure to this material?
Answer- Synthetic vitreous fibers are manmade fibrous materials used for thermal and sound insulating purposes. Short-term exposure can cause reversible skin, eye, and lung irritation. Workers from factories making synthetic vitreous fibers used in home insulation showed no increased rates of lung problems. Some refractory ceramic fiber workers showed changes in their chest x-rays, but these changes are not associated with breathing problems. There is no clear association between exposure to synthetic vitreous fibers and cancer in humans. Synthetic vitreous fibers have not been detected in any of the 1,647 National Priorities List sites identified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).( https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaqs/tf.asp?id=907&tid=185; accessed may 2018)