Please find below a number of photos to help identify a range of asbestos products including;
Asbestos Cement Products
Asbestos Textured Coatings
Asbestos Insulation Board
Asbestos Pipe Insulation
Asbestos Roof Tiles
Asbestos Floor Tiles
Asbestos Cement Products
Typical products contain approximately 15-25% Chrysotile (white asbestos) although Amosite and Crocidolite can also be found. Material has a density greater than a 1000kg/m3 and because of this it is often used in construction. Where it is required to determine if a product is asbestos cement or asbestos insulation board (for licensing purposes) then a water absorption test is required.
Asbestos Textured Coatings
Textured coatings also referred to as artex typically contain 1-5% Chrysotile (white asbestos). Asbestos was added to artex extensively up to 1984 (when there was a voluntary ban introduced) although it is common to find asbestos in artex used after this date where surplus products were used up. It is impossible to identify without undertaking testing and sample analysis and because of the low percentage of asbestos used it is best practice to ensure that samples are taken from several sections of the ceiling to ensure accurate representation.
Asbestos Insulation Board
Asbestos insulation board or AIB typically contains 15-25% asbestos – usually Amosite (brown asbestos) or Chrysotile (white asbestos) or a combination of both. It has a density of <1000kg/m3 which makes the material far more friable than asbestos cement.
Asbestos Pipe Insulation
Also known as lagging or thermal insulations this is potentially one of the most hazardous asbestos products because of its high asbestos content, its friability and because it often contains Amosite and Crocidolite as well as Chrysotile. The product is usually found in two main forms – ‘Compound’ and ‘Sectional’. The main difference being that compound is applied wet so often results in extensive debris on adjacent walls and surfaces (often call ‘snots’) and sectional which is pre-manufactured sections of insulation which are wrapped round the pipe. Compound insulation is often found on pipe elbows where it is difficult for sectional insulation to be used.
Asbestos Roof Tiles
Asbestos containing roof tiles were used extensively up to the mid 1980’s and are common on British roofs.
The tiles are low risk when left in-situ, but, if removed there is some risk of fibre release and the tiles must be disposed of as asbestos waste.
Asbestos Floor Tiles
Asbestos was added to polyvinyl floor tiles up until the mid 1980’s. Typically the asbestos used was Chrysotile and the products are considered as having a low risk of fibre release. Asbestos can also be found in the bitumen adhesive used to stick the tiles to the floor below and also as a paper backing (100% Chrysotile).