xrongor wrote:
lets end a myth right now about 'dust masks'

those cheap paper 'dust masks' are designed to keep the person wearing it
from spreading germs when they EXHALE. to protect other people. surgeons
wear them so they dont spread germs to the patient they are working on. you
dont see the patient wearing one. they do offer some 'splatter' protection,
but their effect as an air filter for what the wearer is breathing is
minimal. there are some better fitting paper ones, but they are still
pretty useless cept to keep mosquitos and sawdust out.

Well, those are just dust masks, so you don't get your airways full of
dust and cough and choke. You're right that they're no good for
preventing asbestos. But they do the basic job they're good for.

if you are concerned about whats in the air and actually want to do
something, you need a respirator with cartridges rated for what will be in
the air, that will absorb it and not just shoot it back out when you exhale.

Correct. But dust masks are just that -- DUST masks.