Tornadoes might have kicked up asbestos risk

The tornado has lifted the lid off an old hazard that usually sits quietly in older buildings without bothering anyone: asbestos.
The fibrous mineral was once a common ingredient in building materials, used for heat resistance, for strength and as insulation.
The use of asbestos in building materials fell off quickly in the late 1900s as hazards became known. Tiny asbestos fibres can embed themselves in the lungs and cause a form of cancer called mesothelioma.
Now, with walls and ceilings torn a