Oxford Method Research Programme

Identification of Asbestos Type and its Treatment

To make aware the problems with asbestos The National Society for Clean Air and Environmental Protection published in 1997 a general leaflet to bring to notice the material's properties and dangers.

The following outlines this information which would relate to the buildings identified in this manual.

What is Asbestos?
Asbestos is a naturally occurring, fibrous silicate mineral. Once mined, asbestos rock mineral is crushed, producing long and short fibres. Asbestos was mined mainly in the USSR, Canada and South Africa. The three types of asbestos which have been used in the UK are; crocidolite (blue asbestos); amosite (brown asbestos) and chrysotile (white asbestos). You cannot identify asbestos by the colour as it is often incorporated with other materials. To be certain that a material contains asbestos, it should be analysed by a laboratory.

Why was asbestos used.
Asbestos is resistant to heat and chemicals. It is also flexible and has a high tensile strength. This led to its use in a wide range of building materials and household products. White asbestos was most commonly used in domestic appliances and buildings. Brown asbestos was used in thermal insulation up to the late 1960s and in various prayed applications and insulating boards until the middle and late 1970s respectively. Blue asbestos, which has not been imported inot this country since about 1972, was used for insulation lagging and sprayed coating. The marketing, supply and new use of blue and brown asbestos was prohibited in 1985 and white asbestos in 1999.

For general information asbestos was used in many items within the building and the following advice was given.

How to dispose of asbestos.
Small items of asbestos material around the hospital can be disposed of if you are careful.

Carefully dispose of such items as ironing board tests and simmering pads when they become worn. Damp them down and put them in a tightly sealed plastic bag labelled "asbestos". Asbestos should not be placed in the dustbin - refuse vehicles grind waste up and asbestos fibres could be released. Contact your local environmental health department and ask their advice about disposal. Some local authorities operate a collection service for small, 'soft' asbestos items such as oven gloves, simmering pads and iron rests.

Do not use a vacuum cleaner to clean up debris as the very small fibres pass straight through the bag and are then distributed throughout the house. Damp down and remove it with a cloth which should then be put, still damp, into a plastic bag and carefully labelled and sealed.

Indoors, asbestos cement should be sealed by painting it with an alkali-resistant paint such as PVA emulsion, or primed with alkali-resistant primer and then covered with normal undercoat and gloss paint. Asbestos cement or board should not be sanded before painting.

Asbestos insulation board, which is softer than asbestos cement, should be replaced if it is damaged or likely to be damaged during alterations. Do not drill, sand, or break it up. If it is to be removed, take advice from the local authority. All removal work should be carried out with strict attention to safety. Any significant removal work must be undertaken by an HSE licensed asbestos removal contractor. The aim is to keep the material whole if possible, to prevent any spread of dust and keep people away from the removal areas.

If you have textured coating containing asbestos, it is best to leave it alone and over it with a coat of emulsion. Stripping it off is difficult and potentially dangerous and should only be done by licensed contractors. However, small quantities can be soaked so that they become a soggy mass before being gently scraped off.

Some common problems and what to do

Storage Heaters
Some electric storage heaters, generally those manufactured before 1975, contain asbestos. Your local Electricity board keeps an up to date list of heaters which have been identified as containing asbestos. Do not dismantle the storage heater to check whether or nit this is the case! Generally, the heaters are perfectly safe as long as they are not tampered with. I you wish to have the heater(s) removed, this must be done by licensed contractors. Seek advice from your local authority's environmental health department about safe disposal.

Catalytic Heaters
Some catalytic heaters, burning butane and propane without a visible flame, may contain an asbestos panel if manufactured before 1983. If you suspect that you have one of these heaters, contact your local authority.

Published by NSCA April 2001