WHAT IS ASBESTOS?
Asbestos is a term for a group of six (6) different fibrous minerals. The asbestos minerals are natural products that are found in the Earth’s crust. Like other minerals, the varieties of asbestos occur as crystals, but unlike more well-known mineral crystals (like quartz), these crystals are very thin, small, fibers. The three types of asbestos fibers that were mined and used the most were chrysotile, amosite, and crocidolite.
WHERE DOES ASBESTOS COME FROM?
Natural deposits of asbestos occur all over the world. Asbestos has been mined for many years, and is still being mined in Russia. Asbestos is no longer mined in the United States or Canada, and Brazil stopped exporting asbestos in 2017.
WHAT IS ASBESTOS?
Asbestos is a term for a group of six (6) different fibrous minerals. The asbestos minerals are natural products that are found in the Earth’s crust. Like other minerals, the varieties of asbestos occur as crystals, but unlike more well-known mineral crystals (like quartz), these crystals are very thin, small, fibers. The three types of asbestos fibers that were mined and used the most were chrysotile, amosite, and crocidolite.
WHERE DOES ASBESTOS COME FROM?
Natural deposits of asbestos occur all over the world. Asbestos has been mined for many years, and is still being mined in Russia. Asbestos is no longer mined in the United States or Canada, and Brazil stopped exporting asbestos in 2017.
WHY IS ASBESTOS DIFFERENT FROM OTHER FIBERS THAT I WORK WITH?
Asbestos fibers are different from many other fibers we are familiar with. An asbestos fiber that is large enough to be seen with the naked eye will really turn out to be a bundle of fibers. Single fibers are very small and fine. If a visible asbestos fiber (which is actually a bundle of fibers) is crushed, it will break apart into smaller fiber bundles or into single fibers. If a visible fiberglass fiber is crushed, it will break apart into small bits of glass. Some asbestos fibers are only as long as the width of ordinary fiberglass fibers.
WHY ARE ASBESTOS FIBERS DANGEROUS?
With their very small size, and fibrous shape, asbestos fibers can easily get stirred up into the air in our homes or work environments. Once they become airborne, they can be inhaled with the air that we breathe, and become lodged in our lungs. Exposure to asbestos by breathing in fibers has been linked to three diseases: Asbestosis, Lung Cancer, and Mesothelioma.
WHY IS ASBESTOS DIFFERENT FROM OTHER FIBERS THAT I WORK WITH?
Asbestos fibers are different from many other fibers we are familiar with. An asbestos fiber that is large enough to be seen with the naked eye will really turn out to be a bundle of fibers. Single fibers are very small and fine. If a visible asbestos fiber (which is actually a bundle of fibers) is crushed, it will break apart into smaller fiber bundles or into single fibers. If a visible fiberglass fiber is crushed, it will break apart into small bits of glass. Some asbestos fibers are only as long as the width of ordinary fiberglass fibers.
WHY ARE ASBESTOS FIBERS DANGEROUS?
With their very small size, and fibrous shape, asbestos fibers can easily get stirred up into the air in our homes or work environments. Once they become airborne, they can be inhaled with the air that we breathe, and become lodged in our lungs. Exposure to asbestos by breathing in fibers has been linked to three diseases: Asbestosis, Lung Cancer, and Mesothelioma.
WHY WAS ASBESTOS USED SO MUCH?
The asbestos minerals have properties that made them very useful. They don’t burn. Being fibers they are flexible. They don’t react to most chemicals, don’t corrode. They are good insulators for both heat and sound. They have high tensile strength and are very durable. Thus mankind had access to a fiber that could be found in the ground and easily mixed into many products during manufacturing or applied as a coating or covering. Once added to a product, asbestos added strength, durability, and heat and sound insulation, while at the same time providing resistance against fire and corrosion. This unique combination of benefits from a natural fiber made using asbestos extremely popular. Many materials were made with asbestos.
WHAT KINDS OF PRODUCTS WERE MADE WITH ASBESTOS?
Products that were commonly made with asbestos included pipe insulation (steam lines, hot water lines, cold water lines, plus others); boiler insulation; gaskets; spray-applied fire proofing; duct insulation; asbestos-cement products (often under the tradename Transite) – which included siding, large corrugated panels, and pipes; floor tiles and sheet vinyl flooring (Linoleum); roof shingles and other roofing materials; acoustical ceiling tiles; joint compound; caulks, glues and sealants; and many many other products.
WHY WAS ASBESTOS USED SO MUCH?
The asbestos minerals have properties that made them very useful. They don’t burn. Being fibers they are flexible. They don’t react to most chemicals, don’t corrode. They are good insulators for both heat and sound. They have high tensile strength and are very durable. Thus mankind had access to a fiber that could be found in the ground and easily mixed into many products during manufacturing or applied as a coating or covering. Once added to a product, asbestos added strength, durability, and heat and sound insulation, while at the same time providing resistance against fire and corrosion. This unique combination of benefits from a natural fiber made using asbestos extremely popular. Many materials were made with asbestos.
WHAT KINDS OF PRODUCTS WERE MADE WITH ASBESTOS?
Products that were commonly made with asbestos included pipe insulation (steam lines, hot water lines, cold water lines, plus others); boiler insulation; gaskets; spray-applied fire proofing; duct insulation; asbestos-cement products (often under the tradename Transite) – which included siding, large corrugated panels, and pipes; floor tiles and sheet vinyl flooring (Linoleum); roof shingles and other roofing materials; acoustical ceiling tiles; joint compound; caulks, glues and sealants; and many many other products.
HOW DO I KNOW IF A PRODUCT HAS ASBESTOS IN IT?
If a product contains more than 1% asbestos it is an Asbestos-Containing Material (ACM). To know if something (like a particular floor tile or type of pipe insulation) is an ACM, a sample of the material must be analyzed by a properly qualified laboratory. Asbestos minerals are totally odorless. No one can identify asbestos by smell.
ARE ALL ASBESTOS-CONTAINING MATERIALS (ACMs) THE SAME?
Materials can become damaged through routine Caption maintenance or other construction activities, or weathering for materials that are exposed to the elements. Over time, many materials simply lose their integrity and either delaminate from their substrate or decompose, resulting in a powdery or chalky residue. Damaged materials are more likely to release fibers, and thus more likely to result in exposure through inhalation. Some materials have a strong matrix material holding the asbestos fibers together. In general, unless the fibers are being released into the air and inhaled, they are probably not of an immediate concern.
HOW DO I KNOW IF A PRODUCT HAS ASBESTOS IN IT?
If a product contains more than 1% asbestos it is an Asbestos-Containing Material (ACM). To know if something (like a particular floor tile or type of pipe insulation) is an ACM, a sample of the material must be analyzed by a properly qualified laboratory. Asbestos minerals are totally odorless. No one can identify asbestos by smell.
ARE ALL ASBESTOS-CONTAINING MATERIALS (ACMs) THE SAME?
Materials can become damaged through routine Caption maintenance or other construction activities, or weathering for materials that are exposed to the elements. Over time, many materials simply lose their integrity and either delaminate from their substrate or decompose, resulting in a powdery or chalky residue. Damaged materials are more likely to release fibers, and thus more likely to result in exposure through inhalation. Some materials have a strong matrix material holding the asbestos fibers together. In general, unless the fibers are being released into the air and inhaled, they are probably not of an immediate concern.
HAS ALL ASBESTOS BEEN BANNED?
NO… the applications that were considered the most dangerous were banned in the United States in the early 1970’s, but there is no total ban on asbestos. If you are not careful, you could actually purchase a material that is made with asbestos in it even today. Most manufacturers do not use asbestos in their products, however.
WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I HAVE ASBESTOS IN MY HOME OR WORKPLACE?
There are several options to manage asbestos issues, including removal. In some cases, a building owner will hire a qualified contractor to repair, cover, or encapsulate an asbestos-containing material. H & H Environmental Services can help you determine your best solution, perhaps in conjunction with a third-party consultant.
HAS ALL ASBESTOS BEEN BANNED?
NO… the applications that were considered the most dangerous were banned in the United States in the early 1970’s, but there is no total ban on asbestos. If you are not careful, you could actually purchase a material that is made with asbestos in it even today. Most manufacturers do not use asbestos in their products, however.
WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I HAVE ASBESTOS IN MY HOME OR WORKPLACE?
There are several options to manage asbestos issues, including removal. In some cases, a building owner will hire a qualified contractor to repair, cover, or encapsulate an asbestos-containing material. H & H Environmental Services can help you determine your best solution, perhaps in conjunction with a third-party consultant.
