Abstract: The characteristics of asbestos and its applications in the building, textile, equipment manufacturing and national defense industries are introduced in this paper. The shape and size of asbestos fiber which result in asbestosis, malignant mesothelioma, lung cancer and bronchial tube cancer, and the pathways into the human body are discussed. The control laws for asbestos around the world, such as the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Labor Organization (ILO), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Trade Organization (WTO), and more than 40 countries, are also discussed. Developments of detection methods of asbestos in the air, drinking water and building materials are reviewed using 91 publications as reference material. This information is valuable for environmental protection from asbestos.