Where can I find Asbestos?

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2 Is Asbestos Dangerous? Asbestos is a fibrous mineral that has been used widely in construction materials, such as roofing and siding, pipe and boiler insulation, and floor and ceiling tiles. Asbestos is dangerous because, as a toxic substance and a known carcinogen, it can cause several serious diseases in humans. Symptoms of these diseases typically develop over a period of years following asbestos exposure. Intact, undisturbed asbestos-containing materials generally do not pose a health risk. They may become hazardous and pose increased risk when they are damaged, are disturbed in some manner, or deteriorate over time and thus release asbestos fibers into building air. Asbestos-containing materials (ACM) in buildings do not always pose a problem (that is, a hazard) to occupants and workers in those buildings. Asbestos is a problem when asbestos fibers get into the air and are inhaled; that is, when there is human exposure. EPA's asbestos program for schools (AHERA) and its guidance for other building owners is founded on the principle of "in-place" management of ACM. This approach is designed to keep asbestos fiber levels low by teaching people to recognize asbestos-containing materials and actively manage them. Removal of ACM is not usually necessary unless the material is severely damaged or will be disturbed by a building demolition or renovation project. Where can I find Asbestos? Most products made today do not contain asbestos. Those few products made which still contain asbestos that could be inhaled are required to be labeled as such. However, until the 1970s, many types of building products and insulation materials used in homes contained asbestos. Common products that might have contained asbestos in the past, and conditions which may release fibers, include: STEAM PIPES, BOILERS, and FURNACE DUCTS insulated with an asbestos blanket or asbestos paper tape. These materials may release asbestos fibers if damaged, repaired, or removed improperly. RESILIENT FLOOR TILES (vinyl asbestos, asphalt, and rubber), the backing on VINYL SHEET FLOORING, and ADHESIVES used for installing floor tile. Sanding tiles can release fibers. So may scraping or sanding the backing of sheet flooring during removal. CEMENT SHEET, MILLBOARD, and PAPER used as insulation around furnaces and wood burning stoves. Repairing or removing appliances may release asbestos fibers. So may cutting, tearing, sanding, drilling, or sawing insulation. DOOR GASKETS in furnaces, wood stoves, and coal stoves. Worn seals can release asbestos fibers during use. SOUNDPROOFING OR DECORATIVE MATERIAL sprayed on walls and ceilings. Loose, crumbly, or water-damaged material may release fibers. So will sanding, drilling, or scraping the material. PATCHING AND JOINT COMPOUNDS for walls and ceilings, and TEXTURED PAINTS. Sanding, scraping, or drilling these surfaces may release asbestos. ASBESTOS CEMENT ROOFING, SHINGLES, and SIDING. These products are not likely to release asbestos fibers unless sawed, dilled, or cut. ARTIFICIAL ASHES AND EMBERS sold for use in gas-fired fireplaces. Also, other older household products such as FIREPROOF GLOVES, STOVE-TOP PADS, IRONING BOARD COVERS, and certain HAIRDRYERS. AUTOMOBILE BRAKE PADS AND LININGS, CLUTCH FACINGS, and GASKETS.

3 COMMON MATERIALS CONTAINING ASBESTOS Asbestos has properties which made it suitable for use as insulation and as part of binding materials in buildings. Asbestos has been used in such parts of the home as floor tiles, ceiling panels, acoustical ceilings, exterior stuccos, etc. All in all there have been over 3600 products manufactured that contain asbestos. It would be impossible to list all of these products here. The only sure way to find out if the material you are concerned with contains asbestos is to have the material tested. Refer to the following diagram and the table below for the most common products that may contain asbestos. Note: The original of this graphic is by UC Berkeley Extension, Pacific Information Center

4 Product Walls and Sprayed coating Troweled coating Asbestoscement sheet Building Materials Which May Contain Asbestos (Source: US Environmental Protection Agency) % of Asbes tos Spackle 3-5 Joint compound s Textured paints Millboard, rollboard Vinyl wallpaper Insulation board Floors Vinylasbestos tile asbestos tile Resilient sheet flooring Mastic adhesives 3-5 Dates of Use Binder, sodium silicate, organic binders, sodium silicate Starch, casein, synthetic resins / 4-15? ? Starch, lime, clay 6-8? 30? Silicates ? 1945-? Poly(vinyl) chloride Dry oils

5 and Siding felts Roof felt ?- Tiles Siding 12-14?- Clapboard s Pipes and Boilers Cement pipe and fittings 20-? Block insulation Magnesium carbonate, calcium silicate Preformed pipe wrap Magnesium carbonate, calcium silicate Corrugate d asbestos paper Sodium silicate, starch Paper tape ? Polymers, starches, silicates Putty (muddling ) Clay