Beryllium People working or living near beryllium industries have the greatest potential for exposure to beryllium. Lung damage has been observed in people exposed to high levels of beryllium in the air. About 1-15% of all people occupationally-exposed to beryllium in air become sensitive to beryllium and may develop chronic beryllium disease (CBD), an irreversible and sometimes fatal scarring of the lungs. Long term exposure to beryllium can increase the risk of developing lung cancer in people.

Additional Sources of Beryllium are: Coal burning, cigarette smoke, beryllium extraction plants, ceramics plants, beryllium alloy manufacturing, Oral ingestion okay, inhalation results in longer retention. Additional Effects of Beryllium on Humans are: Deposits in liver and bones Acute: Acute chemical pneumonitis Chronic: Lung granulomas (chronic beryllium disease or berylliosis), Lung cancer