Asbestos

Asbestos cannot harm anybody unless they breathe in asbestos fibres. Therefore, products containing asbestos do not normally present a problem unless they become damaged or worn and the asbestos fibres are released into the air. If this happens, the fibres can be breathed deep into the lung, where they may stay for a long time. When very high levels of these fibres are breathed in, there is a risk of lung diseases, including cancer. People who have worked with asbestos for many years, or have washed the dusty clothing of those who worked with asbestos, are most likely to be affected.

You can’t tell if a material contains asbestos just by looking at it. The only way to tell for sure is to have a sample taken and sent for analysis. This is a specialist job that specially licensed contractors and laboratories can only carry out. The most common places to find asbestos include:

Outdoor

• Roof construction
• Rainwater guttering and downpipes
• Flue pipes
• Corrugated cement sheeting – usually found on outbuildings and garage roofs.

Indoor

• Textured coatings, for example, Artextype decorative coatings before 2000
• Fire stop panels (inside heater cupboards and around boilers)
• Floor tiles and adhesive
• Toilet cisterns and seats
• Flue pipes
• Fuse box cupboards
• Bath panels and boxing.