Asbestos was widely used as a building material in the UK from the 1950s through to the mid-1980s. It was used for a variety of purposes and is resistant to heat, fire, electricity and chemicals. As a result it was ideal for fireproofing and insulation.
Any building built before 2000 (factories, offices, schools, hospitals, houses etc) can contain asbestos. Asbestos materials in good condition are safe unless asbestos fibres become airborne, which happens when materials are damaged.
Some asbestos containing materials are more suseptible to damage and more likely to give off fibres than others. In general, materials which contain a high percentage of asbestos are more easily damaged.
Although your surroundings may seem innocuous, the danger of asbestos is all around us.
Below are examples of where you may find absestos.
Accoustic Insulating Board
Textured Coating (Artex)
Asbestos Cement Products
Cement Corrugated Roofing Sheets
Floor Tiles (Marley)