- Fire resistance
- Thermal insulation
- Chemical resistance
- Tensile Strength
- Acoustic insulation
It is estimated that 6 million tonnes of asbestos was imported into the United Kingdom
during the 20th century; this was then used to make 24 million tonnes of building products.
The HSE suggest that 75% of these products remain in our buildings today!
Asbestos fibres are very thin mineral fibres sometimes less than 0.02 microns in diameter.
If asbestos is disturbed, and the fibres are inhaled, the exposed individual may develop asbestosis,
lung cancer, or a rare cancer called mesothelioma. Currently 4-5000 people die from
asbestos related diseases each year in the UK and 100,000 annually worldwide.
There are many asbestiform minerals, however the most common and regulated types are:
- Crocidolite (Blue) (common)
- Amosite (Brown) (common)
- Chrysotile (White) (common)
- Tremolite
- Actinolite
- Anthophyllite
Have a look at our detailed gallery of asbestos we have identified during our surveys
