Asbestos Information & Advice
Introduction
The three key types of asbestos used in building products are:
Asbestos is the general name for six forms of a naturally occurring fibrous mineral. They are some of the strongest fibres known to man and are also inherently fire, heat and chemical-resistant and have low electrical conductivity.
Thanks to these qualities, three forms of asbestos were extensively used in building materials, particularly in properties built between the 1950s and the mid-1980s. However, it has long been known that asbestos causes cancers of the lungs and chest lining when the fibres are inhaled, so two forms were banned in 1985 and the third in common usage was banned in 1999.
- The Health and Safety Executive provides information and advice on the removal of asbestos via their infoline on 0845 345 0055.
Types of Asbestos
The various forms of asbestos are broken down into two groups; ‘serpentine’ asbestos develops in layers made of curly fibres, ‘amphibole’ asbestos has a chain-like structure with straight fibres. All of them are hazardous to health.
The three key types of asbestos used in building products are:
- Chrysotile (white asbestos)
A white curly (serpentine) fibre that accounts for 90% of asbestos in products. It is a magnesium silicate that was banned in 1999. - Amosite (brown or grey asbestos)
The second most prevalent form of asbestos, amosite has brown or grey, straight fibres (amphibole), made of iron magnesium silicate. It’s use was banned in 1985. - Crocidolite (blue asbestos)
A blue, straight fibred (amphibole) form of asbestos that was used in high temperature locations. It is a sodium iron magnesium silicate that was banned in 1985.
Because asbestos consists of tiny fibres that are not visible to the naked eye, and it is included in building products by mixing it with other materials, such as concrete, it is not possible to tell whether a material has asbestos by looking at it. Instead, a sample must be analysed in a laboratory.
When is Asbestos dangerous?
Asbestos is hazardous when its fibres become airborne such that they can be inhaled. For the most part, asbestos that is undisturbed and is not part of a material that is degrading poses no problems. But when asbestos-containing materials are decomposing or are drilled, sawn or sanded, the damage will cause fibres and particles of asbestos to be released into the air.
The symptoms of any lung disease due to asbestos exposure will not become apparent for anything from 15 to 40 years, and nowadays some 3000 people die each year in the UK from asbestos related diseases, for which there is no cure.
Minimising the risks of asbestos exposure
Since new building works are banned from using asbestos-containing materials, attention has turned to managing the risk of exposure to asbestos in existing buildings.
- The Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002 stipulate that if you own, occupy, manage or are responsible for a non-domestic property which may contain asbestos, you have a legal duty to manage the asbestos risk.
- The Environmental Protection Act 1990 also requires landlords to protect their tenants from “any dust…likely to cause injury”.
Your property is most likely to include asbestos somewhere in its construction if it was built between 1950 and 1999, particularly prior to and during the 1970s when asbestos usage was at its greatest. There are thousands of products manufactured with asbestos, but the key ones to keep an eye on in your property are:
- Soffits, guttering and rainwater pipes
- Corrugated cement outbuilding roofs
- Insulating lagging on pipes, storage heaters and boilers
- Floor and ceiling tiles
- Panels above doors
- Insulating linings in walls, ceilings and doors
- Loose asbestos packing, generally used as fire breaks in floors and partition walls
- Bath panels
- Central heating flues
- Fire blankets
If you are in any doubt, assume that a material does contain asbestos until you have strong evidence to the contrary. Look for signs of damage such as scratches or fraying on the surface, peeling surface sealants or dust and debris collecting near the material.
Always seek professional advice before taking any action. Asbestos specialists should be accredited to survey your home, take samples and analyse them (and they’re not necessarily always accredited to do all three, so check!).
Do not be tempted to take samples yourself, as releasing fibres can be more risky than not removing the asbestos at all.
The specialists will advise you whether the materials does contain asbestos, and if so may recommend one of two possible courses of action - see below:
Asbestos Encapsulation
Much less expensive than removing asbestos, encapsulating surrounds or embeds the asbestos fibres into an adhesive to prevent them from being released. Asbestos can be ‘mechanically encapsulated’ by boarding it up or simply painting over it with domestic paint. It can also be ‘chemically encapsulated’ by spraying with an elastomeric coating such as Idenden ET150 or Serpiflex, which can be reinforced with a membrane such as calico cloth to provide up to 20 years of protection.
Asbestos Removal
Asbestos should only be removed by a qualified specialist as the risks from disposing of it improperly are significant.
If you do decide to remove it yourself, minimise the risks by:
- Wearing a dust mask approved for asbestos and a disposable overall
- Wet the material first with water containing a dash of washing up liquid
- Do not break the material up
- Place all materials in a marked plastic bag; clear dust up with a brush and pan, do not use the vacuum as fibres pass through the filter
- Asbestos must be disposed of separately to normal household waste. Your local council will provide details of these alternative arrangements
Further information and useful links
- Making structural changes to your property
- Adding an extension to your property
- Full guide to the building regulations
- More building works topics
- Walls & ceilings topics
- Find a Chartered Surveyor near you
Site Pages
Featured Articles