Vessels built during 1930-1970 contained asbestos, a very poisonous substance, which could be found in their components like turbines, valves, pumps, and even the engine and boilers rooms. One of those ships is the USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63), a Kitty Hawk-class Aircraft Carrier built in Camden, New Jersey, with the hull number CV-63. The ship was commissioned in 1961, carried almost 5,700 men on board, and measured 1,069 feet. It is famous for carrying the Wright Brothers’ first powered air light. It was decommissioned in 2009 after 48 years of active service.
When materials that contain asbestos are disturbed or damaged, fibers are released into the air. When these fibers are inhaled they can cause serious diseases which often take a long time to develop. The number of fibers that are released into the air during activities that disturb asbestos-containing materials depends on the percentage of asbestos in the material, the way it is handled, used or worked on, how tightly the fibers are bound, and the degree of damage or wear.
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