ASBESTOS IN THE HOME:
WHERE IT IS AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT

Asbestos has been mined and used by humans for millennia. The Romans, however, were the first to record its uses and also its harmful side effects. The Romans would weave the fibrous mineral into fabric sheets which were used as napkins and tablecloths, and utilized primarily by the aristocracy. Since the Industrial Revolution of the nineteenth century, asbestos has been used extensively by man; first, in the industrial settings, and later, in the home.

Asbestos is a mineral fiber found in rocks and still mined today in Canada and South Africa. There are many different kinds of asbestos, most of which are easily accessible in mining operations, and all share the same qualities of fire resistance and insulation, which have made asbestos so prevalent in industry and in residential dwellings. Asbestos literally means the asbestiform varieties of chrysotile, amosite, tremolite, crocidiolite, anthophyllite, and actinolite. Asbestos containing material is defined as any material containing greater than 1% asbestos.

Due to the fibrous nature of asbestos, very small pieces can break off and become airborne. These fibers are microscopic and can pass easily through the filters of your HVAC system, or through the filters of traditional vacuum cleaners. If these fibers are inhaled, they can become lodged in the tissue of the lungs. Through this inhalation, asbestos-related diseases can occur.

Asbestos has been linked to three primary diseases; Cancer (of the lungs and of the stomach), mesothelioma, and asbestosis. These diseases often have a latency period of 25 years or more. Experts believe that no level of exposure can be determinedly safe. However, in order for asbestos to pose a health risk in the home, these fibers must be released from their material, become airborne, and then be inhaled.

Most products that contain asbestos do not pose a serious health risk. The greatest risk occurs to humans when asbestos containing products are abraded or damaged, which allows asbestos fibers to become airborne. Insulations that are dry and easily reduced to dust by hand pressure (a condition known as friable) pose the greatest risk in the home. This risk is compounded greatly to all occupants of the house when one or more people in the home smoke cigarettes.

The Federal Government has taken several steps to protect the public from asbestos and to increase public awareness. Through the Clean Air Act of 1973, a set of standards called NESHAP (National Emission Standard for Hazardous Air Pollutants) was passed to regulate asbestos products. Additionally, in 1973, the EPA (The Environmental Protection Agency) banned the use of asbestos that could be installed as a ceiling spray (decorative sprays on walls and ceilings,) insulation, soundproofing, and fire protection. In 1975 the EPA also banned the use of certain type’s asbestos containing pipe insulation. In 1977, the CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) banned the use of artificial fireplaces which contained asbestos that could become airborne easily. The CPSC also banned in 1977 certain patching compounds containing asbestos. In 1990, the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA), an amendment to the Asbestos School Hazard Abatement Reauthorization Act of 1990, was passed and set the standard for asbestos inspections and asbestos building inspectors.

Asbestos has been used in homes for four primary reasons. The first is for safety; asbestos is extremely resistant to fire and will not incinerate except at extremely high temperatures, therefore acting as fire retardant. Secondly, asbestos has been used in many different types of insulation to increase its efficiency. Thirdly, asbestos has been used in surfacing materials to increase their fire-resistance and to aid in sound-proofing. Finally, asbestos has been used to increase the tensile strength of certain products such as linoleum and floor tile.

COMMON TYPES OF ASBESTOS FOUND IN THE HOME

Below is a list of the major sources of asbestos found in many homes. If any of these materials are in your home, they should not be broken, cut, abraded, sanded, stripped, chipped, sawed, drilled, scraped, or otherwise disturbed from their original place of installation without help from a licensed asbestos consultant. Do not disturb material unless absolutely necessary. Fiber release can occur if these materials are handled improperly. If these materials have already been damaged, then human contact should be kept at a minimum.

Some vinyl floor tiles have been strengthened with asbestos, as well as the backing on some vinyl floors. Some vinyl floor tiles also contain asbestos as well as the mastic which holds it to the floor. If a new floor is being installed, the safest and most cost-effective method is to place the new material directly on top of the old.

Next