Asbestos

What is Asbestos?

The term „Asbestos“ is derived from the Greek language and means indestructible, everlasting and indelible. It is an umbrella term for a number of naturally occurring fibrous minerals.

There are six types of Asbestos, but only four of them had - and some still have - economic significance and were used in the building industry:

Blue Asbestos (Crocidolite), brown Asbestos (Amosite), and white Asbestos (Chrysotile) and less commonly Anthophyllite. The types Tremolite and Actinolite were mostly used in the jewellery industry.

Properties

Asbestos is resistant to fire and many chemicals, such as acids and alkalis. Furthermore, it demonstrates high tensile strength. Because of these properties, (white) Asbestos is still being used in industry, technology, and in many construction materials.

Even slight vibrations or draught can release fibres from friable Asbestos applications.

Usage and applications

Asbestos is a naturally occurring fibrous mineral and is obtained from rocks like serpentine and amphibole. It was mainly mined in Russia, Kazakhstan, China, Canada, Brazil, Australia, Zambia and South Africa.

Chrysotile is still being mined in some countries.

Asbestos containing materials can generally be divided in two categories:

• Friable Asbestos
• Bonded Asbestos

Friable Asbestos

Friable Asbestos applications include:

• Asbestos insulating board panels
• Asbestos insulating board ceiling tiles
• Fire doors and panels
• Vinyl flooring (Cushion Vinyl)
• Pipe lagging
• Loose fill insulation
• Sprayed Asbestos coatings
• and many more

Bonded Asbestos

Bonded Asbestos applications include:

• Asbestos cement products (roofs, panels, gutters, flues, cable ducts, containers etc.)
• Roofing felt and roofing tar
• Window putties
• Tile cement
• Vinyl floor tiles and sheeting
• Floor adhesives
• Brake linings
• and many more

Risks

A specific health threat is posed if Asbestos fibres are released and inhaled. The tiny fibres can lodge in the respiratory system and the lungs, and are only partly decomposed. This can lead to cancer and other diseases, while one needs to keep in mind that Asbestos-related diseases have a latency period of 15 up to 40 years.

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