Asbestos has been common in buildings since the mid-19th century and was used extensively until its eventual ban in 1999. Over this period, it is estimated that over 3000 different products were manufactured containing asbestos fibres. Importation of asbestos to the UK between 1940 and 1998 exceeded 5 million tonnes.
We have provided a brief summary of asbestos materials with a brief description of location/use, asbestos type, asbestos content and approx. dates used.
Loose Insulation
| Location/Use | Used to insulate domestic and commercial buildings. Found in loft spaces, under floor boards and within wall cavities. Packing within floor voids, packing in cable trays, mattresses and quilts for thermal insulation. Paper bags/sacks filled for sound insulation in floors and walls. |
| Asbestos Type | Crocidolite or Chrysotile |
| Asbestos Content | Usually 100% |
| Approx. Date Used | 1850’s – 1970’s |
Sprayed Coating
| Location/Use | Thermal and anti-condensation insulation applied to the undersides of roofs, sides of industrial buildings. Acoustic insulation for theatres and concert halls. Fire proofing for steels, concrete beams/columns and to underside of concrete floors and carpark ceilings. |
| Asbestos Type | Early use Crocidolite Later usage Crocidolite, Amosite, Chrysotile |
| Asbestos Content | 55 – 85% |
| Approx. Date Used | 1850’s – 1970’s |
Thermal Insulation
| Location/Use | Hand applied insulation to pipe work, vessels, boilers, calorifiers etc. Pre-formed pipe sections, slabs and blocks. |
| Asbestos Type | Early use Crocidolite Mainly Amosite Mix of Crocidolite, Amosite and Chrysotile |
| Asbestos Content | Variable 6 – 85% |
| Approx. Date Used | 1850’s – 1970’s |
Asbestos Boards - Millboard
| Location/Use | Insulation for electrical and plant equipment, general heat insulation and fire protection. |
| Asbestos Type | Mainly Chrysotile Some Crocidolite |
| Asbestos Content | 37 – 97% |
| Approx. Date Used | 1880’s – 1970’s |
Asbestos Boards - Insulation Board
| Location/Use | A general building board used for fire protection, thermal and acoustic insulation as firebreaks, linings to steels, infill panels above doors and below windows, external canopies, soffits, porch linings and found in service ducts. Also as partition walls, internal ceilings, ceiling tiles, as packers to windows and steels and is resistant to moisture movement. |
| Asbestos Type | Mainly Amosite or Amosite & Chrysotile Some Crocidolite |
| Asbestos Content | Usually 15 – 25% Some up to 40% |
| Approx. Date Used | 1880’s – mid 1980’s |
Textiles - Ropes and Yarns
| Location/Use | Used as lagging to pipes, jointing and packing materials, heat/fire resistant boiler, oven and flue sealing, plaited asbestos tubing in electrical cables, caulking to brickwork and sealing of electrical fuse boxes. |
| Asbestos Type | Crocidolite & Chrysotile Chrysotile mainly from 1970 Occasionally Mix of Crocidolite, Amosite and Chrysotile |
| Asbestos Content | Approaching 100% |
| Approx. Date Used | 1880’s – 1999 |
Textile Cloth
| Location/Use | Thermal insulation and lagging, jointing and packing materials, flash guards within electrical fuse boxes, protective clothing, oven gloves and curtains. Also used within various bitumen, reinforced plastic and resin composites. |
| Asbestos Type | Crocidolite & Chrysotile Chrysotile mainly from 1970 Occasionally Mix of Crocidolite, Amosite and Chrysotile |
| Asbestos Content | Approaching 100% |
| Approx. Date Used | 1880’s – 1999 |
Textiles - Gaskets and Washers
| Location/Use | Used widely in commercial, industrial and domestic plant and pipe systems. Ranging from gas pipes, hot water boilers, chemical plant and power stations. |
| Asbestos Type | Chrysotile mainly from 1960 Mix of Crocidolite, Amosite and Chrysotile |
| Asbestos Content | Around 90% |
| Approx. Date Used | 1880’s – 1999 |
Textiles - String
| Location/Use | Used for sealing hot water pipes and radiators, also found within MMMF firebreak and to MMMF pipe lagging. |
| Asbestos Type | Chrysotile mainly from 1960 Mix of Crocidolite, Amosite and Chrysotile |
| Asbestos Content | Approaching 100% |
| Approx. Date Used | 1880’s – 1999 |
Textiles - Paper
| Location/Use | Used as backing to PVC floor vinyl, felts and bitumen products, combustible boards and laminate flooring. As electrical and heat insulation of electrical equipment, also within air conditioning as acoustic insulation. |
| Asbestos Type | Chrysotile mainly Crocidolite, Amosite and Chrysotile. |
| Asbestos Content | Approaching 100% |
| Approx. Date Used | 1880’s – 1999 |
Friction Products
| Location/Use | Used as brakes and clutch plates within the transport industry, machinery and lifts. |
| Asbestos Type | Chrysotile |
| Asbestos Content | 30 – 70% |
| Approx. Date Used | 1880’s – 1999 |
Cement Products
| Location/Use | Profiled sheets used as roofs, wall cladding, permanent shuttering.
Pre–formed moulded products and extruded products – cable trays, cisterns and tanks, flue pipes, rainwater goods, window sills and boxes. Fully compressed sheets – laboratory worktops, roof tiles & slates, board cladding. Semi-compressed flat sheets – bath panels, walls and ceilings, soffits. |
| Asbestos Type | Chrysotile mainly Mixes of Crocidolite, Amosite and Chrysotile |
| Asbestos Content | Profiled sheets, pre–formed moulded products and extruded products, fully compressed sheet, tiles & slates 10 -15%
Semi-compressed flat sheets 10-25% |
| Approx. Date Used | 1920’s – 1999 |
Composite Materials - Textured Coating
| Location/Use | Decorative and flexible coatings to walls and ceilings used internally and externally. |
| Asbestos Type | Chrysotile |
| Asbestos Content | 3 – 5% |
| Approx. Date Used | 1920’s – 1980’s |
Composite Materials - Bitumen Products
| Location/Use | Roofing felts and shingles, gutter linings and flashings, damp proof course, coatings to metal, mastics and adhesives, bitumen roofing. |
| Asbestos Type | Chrysotile |
| Asbestos Content | Up to 8% |
| Approx. Date Used | 1920’s – 1990’s |
Composite Materials - Flooring
| Location/Use | Thermoplastic floor tiles, PVC vinyl floor tiles.
Magnesium Oxychloride Flooring was used in W. C’s, staircases and industrial flooring. |
| Asbestos Type | Chrysotile |
| Asbestos Content | Thermoplastic floor tiles – up to 25% PVC vinyl floor tiles – 7% Magnesium Oxychloride Flooring – about 2% |
| Approx. Date Used | 1920’s – 1990’s |
Composite Materials - Reinforced PVC
| Location/Use | Panels and cladding |
| Asbestos Type | Chrysotile |
| Asbestos Content | 1 – 10% |
| Approx. Date Used | 1940’s – 1990’s |
Composite Materials - Reinforced Plastics & Resin
| Location/Use | Toilet cisterns and seats, banisters, stair treads, skirting, window sills, lab bench tops |
| Asbestos Type | Chrysotile |
| Asbestos Content | 1 – 10% |
| Approx. Date Used | 1940’s – 1990’s |
Why not test yourself?
Take a look at our video and see if you can recognise any asbestos
