Asbestos – you hear about it and even read about it , but do you know anything about it?
We have listed some facts about asbestos which are worth knowing.
1. Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral.
A misconception is that asbestos is man made , but it is in fact a mined mineral. The mineral is made up of thin , needle-like fibres. These fibres are resistant to heat , electricity and corrosion which is why is was used widely in construction materials.
Asbestos is still mined and used even today in some countries! Not in the UK , because it was banned for import and use fully in 1999.
2. There are 6 Types of Asbestos
Another misconception is that there are only 3 types of asbestos. However , there are actually six!
The 3 most common types of asbestos which was used in the UK are:
- Chrysotile (White) - Serpentine
- Amosite (Brown) – Amphibole
- Crocidolite (Blue) – Amphibole
The other 3 types which were not company used and therefore rare to find in the UK are:
- Actinolite - Amphibole
- Anthophyllite - Amphibole
- Tremolite - Amphibole
3. Why there are colours associated with different types of asbestos
In their mineral form , the asbestos looks closest to the colour it is associated with.
For example , Chrysotile in it’s mineral form is a grey white to grey-green colour ,
Amosite in it’s mineral form appears brown but can also look pale grey or green , and Crocidolite in it's mineral form appears grey-blue or green-blue in colour.
4. Asbestos can be left in place
Here it is again , another misconception is that asbestos needs to be removed in all cases. The actual guidance is that if the asbestos is in good condition and unlikely to be disturbed or damaged then it is safe to keep in place.
Asbestos should be either encapsulated or removed if it shows signs of damage or deterioration or likely to be disturbed.
5. Asbestos disease symptoms take 20-50 years to develop.
Even though the asbestos fibre can be lodged within the lung straight away , it takes 20-50 years for the symptoms to actually develop. This is where the name ‘silent killer’ comes from when referring to asbestos!
6. Asbestos fibres cannot be seen by the naked eye!
Asbestos fibres are microscopic and cannot be seen with the naked eye. Specialist PLM is required to actually see the small needle like fibres.
With asbestos fibres being so tiny , this makes them dangerous and easy to inhale!
Which is why it is important to use a trained person to remove your asbestos , they will be able to control the fibres and eliminate the risk to you.