Even if you have never been there, most people are familiar with what the giant silver arch in St. Louis looks like. It is a must see for anyone visiting St. Louis or traveling through the area. The Gateway Arch is the largest of its kind in the world and is part of the Westward Expansion Museum. There is an elevator in the arch that takes riders to the top, so they can look through observation windows.
The arch was constructed in the 1950s, and it is not surprising that asbestos was heavily used during the construction, because such use was very prevalent during that time in American history. Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that is actually comprised of six different strains of silica. It was once heavily mined from the earth and used in virtually every aspect of production and construction during the industrial revolution. Continue reading