Yes and no. As we already noted, asbestos is found all around us. When asbestos materials are found as they were designed, when they are undisturbed, undamaged and otherwise intact, they pose little health thread. However, when they are in a highly-trafficked area, when they are damaged (for instance, if they suffer water damage, if they are disturbed through use or remodeling or when they are worn (as in asbestos tiles that are in high traffic areas) they can produce asbestos dust.
Because asbestos is found in residential and commercial areas they are often in areas of high traffic, and because of this, an asbestos dust containing microscopic and dangerous asbestos fibers can be released into the air that people are breathing.
As mentioned above, when asbestos is damaged or is allowed to create dust it becomes a danger. And the very nature of dust, that it is easily transported and spread through movement and even through the air as asbestos dust particles makes it most dangerous. The fact that dust particles are easily breathed and ingested means that asbestos can be introduced to the internal organs of an individual or family and it is because of this that asbestos poses a danger as a cancer-causing element – or carcinogen.
When asbestos is allowed to break down into asbestos dust it becomes dangerous. Normal human activities can cause this break down. Simple movement or activity that comes in contact with asbestos can cause it to become dust. But, if you are considering home improvement or building remodeling projects you raise the danger of disturbing asbestos and creating dust. Perhaps ironically, even the activity of improperly removing asbestos, and thus disturbing it as it is separated from a structure and transported out of a building, can be the most likely activity to cause the dangerous dust to be produced and spread.