Asbestos
Asbestos is a natural fibrous material that has been used for many years for fire-proofing and insulation. Generally, asbestos is only a risk if you disturb or damage it, as people can breathe in the fibres that are released into the air. Breathing in asbestos fibres can lead to serious diseases, e.g. lung cancer.
Exposure to asbestos can cause three main diseases:
- Asbestosis - irreversible scarring of the lungs;
- Lung cancer;
- Mesothelioma - cancer of the lining of the lungs or stomach.
All these diseases have no cure and some can be fatal.
There are three main types of asbestos - blue (crocidolite), brown (amosite) and white (chrysotile). The most dangerous types of asbestos are the blue and brown types. The type of asbestos can only be properly identified by a lab.
Many different products and buildings contain asbestos. Any building built or refurbished between the 1950s and the 1980s may contain asbestos. Materials or products likely to contain asbestos, particularly if used during or before the 1970s, are:
- sprayed asbestos and asbestos loose packaging, e.g. fire breaks in ceiling voids;
- moulded or preformed lagging, e.g. thermal insulation of pipes and boilers;
- insulating boards used for fire protection, thermal insulation, partitioning and ducts;
- some ceiling tiles;
- millboard, paper and paper products used for insulation of electrical equipment; and
- asbestos cement products, e.g. corrugated sheets for roofing.
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