Asbestos: All You Need To Know

We are in the information age, so we all know the dangers of asbestos. But did you know that we were using it in construction a little over two decades ago? Yes, most Australian homes built before the 1990s contain asbestos, which is why asbestos removal is still so important.

Asbestos used to be used in everything, and I mean everything. The first known use of asbestos was from Finland, dating back to around 5000 BC when it was used to strengthen earthenware pots and cooking utensils. But its use didn't become so widespread until the mid-1800s when mankind entered the Industrial era; it was used for insulation, fireproofing, construction materials, and even textile products.

And as time went on, things only got worse. It was used in most manufacturing processes and for many household items as time passed. By the 1950's asbestos was so widely used that it was considered a service to humanity.

The following picture was taken at Guy's Hospital in London, UK, back in 1941. Here, you can see nurses covering a baby in an asbestos blanket to keep it warm. Source Wikipedia.

Before we go on, what is asbestos?

What is Asbestos?

Asbestos is a term that refers to a group of minerals made up of silicate groups composed of thin, fibrous crystals. These fibres are heat-resistant, strong, and insulating, which is why asbestos was so popular for industrial applications and building materials.

Asbestos has two main types:

Serpentine Asbestos:
• Chrysotile, commonly known as White Asbestos, was the most commonly used form of asbestos. It accounted for approximately 90-95% of all the asbestos used worldwide. It's found in roofs, ceilings, walls, and floors.
Amphibole Asbestos:
• Amosite or Brown Asbestos was used most frequently in cement sheets and pipe insulation.
• Crocidolite, also known as Blue Asbestos, is known for its greater heat resistance, so it was often used in insulation and fireproofing.
• Tremolite, Actinolite and Anthophyllite were much less commonly used as they are not abundantly available, and the fibres tend to be much more brittle than other forms of asbestos. It is also the most harmful to humans.

Now we know exactly what asbestos is; the next question is why and when it was banned.

Asbestos’s Fall From Grace

Asbestos was banned in Australia in December 2003. But the fall from grace started much before that; the EU started the first ban back in 1983, although it wasn't banned in all member states until 2005.

But the health risks of asbestos have been known for much longer! According to some sources, an Austrian doctor noticed a heightened degree of pulmonary problems in asbestos workers back in 1897. Dr Hubert Montague Murray reported the first well-documented case of death related to asbestos exposure in 1906; he performed a post-mortem examination on a 33-year-old man who had worked for 14 years in an asbestos textile factory and noticed the presence of asbestos fibres in the man's lungs.

However, the term asbestosis wasn't coined until 1924 when Dr William Edmund published a medical case report about an asbestos textile worker. And the rest is history, ever since doctors have investigated the effects of asbestos on humans.

Amazingly, many countries still don't ban the use of asbestos. For example, in the US, asbestos is not banned. Why isn't it banned in so many countries? Well, I'll leave that up to the reader to come to their own conclusions. However, there are many organisations actively trying to ban asbestos use worldwide.

Asbestos Health Risks

We all know that asbestos is dangerous to our health, but do you know what health problems it can cause? There is a wide range of health problems associated with asbestos. Here is a list of the most common health risks associated with asbestos exposure:

Asbestosis

A chronic lung disease that is caused by the inhalation of asbestos fibres, leading to scarring of lung tissues.

Symptoms include shortness of breath, persistent cough, chest tightness, and chest pain.

Mesothelioma

A rare and aggressive form of cancer that primarily affects the lining of the lungs (pleura) and the abdomen (peritoneum).

Symptoms include chest pain, shortness of breath, fatigue, weight loss, and abdominal pain and swelling.

Asbestos Warts

Asbestos fibres can penetrate the skin, causing corn-like skin growths.

Symptoms are hard, benign growths on the skin.

Pleural Plaques, Thickening, & Effusions

Asbestos can cause various pleural abnormalities, including plaques (calcified deposits), thickening of the pleural lining, and fluid buildup (effusion).

Symptoms may be asymptomatic or cause chest pain and breathing difficulties.

Cancer

While cancer isn't a direct side effect of asbestos, like the other sickness on this list, studies suggest it increases the risk.

Lung Cancer

This isn't directly caused by asbestos, but exposure is a significant risk factor, especially in individuals who smoke.

Laryngeal Cancer

Asbestos exposure is associated with an increased risk of larynx cancer (voice box).

Ovarian Cancer

Some studies suggest a link between asbestos exposure and ovarian cancer.

Once asbestos is in your lungs, there is no turning back, so limiting asbestos exposure is the key to preventing all of the above issues. Remember, asbestos has been banned in Australia for a reason.

Asbestos Removal: How to

Removing asbestos is highly dangerous and should only be done by trained professionals. That being said, in most of Australia, for example, in NSW, a non-licensed person can remove less than 10m2 of non-friable asbestos-containing material. While the law says a non-licensed person, the worker must be deemed competent, which means they have completed training, have industry experience and the right equipment for the task.

What is non-friable asbestos? Non-friable asbestos, or bonded asbestos, is asbestos where the fibres are held together within a solid material: fences, roofs, vinyl floor tiles and asbestos cement sheeting. Unless the product is damaged or has deteriorated, there is less chance that the fibres will become airborne, as it is one solid material.

Around one-third of all homes in Australia contain asbestos of some kind. But if your property was built after the beginning of the 1990s, you should be fine.

There are no conclusive on-site tests to identify asbestos. The best thing to do is contact a licensed asbestos removal company, who, before any construction work or removal can be done, must send samples to a NATA-accredited laboratory for identification.

Once asbestos has been identified, the removal process can start. Safework Australia has released a code of practice to remove asbestos safely. There's a lot of information to process, so here are the main steps, all of which should be carried out by a professional, licensed asbestos removal service.

Step 1: Asbestos Removal Control Plan

A licensed asbestos removalist has to prepare an asbestos removal control plan; a copy of the asbestos removal control plan must be given to the person who commissioned the licensed asbestos removal work. The plan must be readily accessible on-site for the duration of the asbestos removal work to various parties, including workers, health and safety representatives, and occupants of the premises. The plan must also be made available for inspection under the WHS Act.

Step 2: Notifying the Regulator

The licensed asbestos removalist must notify the regulator in writing at least five days before the licensed asbestos removal work commences. The notification must include various details such as name, registered business name, Australian Business Number, licence number, business contact details of the licensed asbestos removalist, and other relevant information.

Step 3: Site Preparation

The area must be blocked off to limit access to non-licenced professionals and other people who are allowed under the WHS Regulations (for example, inspectors and emergency service workers) and the work area must be isolated. Signs must be placed to indicate where the asbestos removal work is being carried out. Decontamination facilities must be available for workers, and air monitoring must be conducted under certain circumstances.

Step 4: Asbestos Removal Methods

Wet spray or soaking methods are preferred for asbestos removal. The dry removal method can only be used if the wet spray or soaking methods are unsuitable, for example, if there are live electrical conductors or if major electrical equipment could be permanently damaged or made dangerous by contact with water. If the dry removal method is used, certain controls should be implemented, such as enclosing the asbestos removal work area and ensuring all workers involved in the removal operation wear full-face positive-pressure supplied air-line respirators.

Step 5: Disposal & Clearance Inspection

All the asbestos material must be sealed, labelled and disposed of at a site licensed to accept asbestos waste. Once all asbestos has been disposed of, an independent licensed asbestos assessor must conduct a clearance inspection and air monitoring.

The Importance of a Licenced Asbestos Removalist

As you can see from the five out-lined steps, asbestos removal isn't a simple task, and we have only scratched the surface. Asbestos removal is not a job for a DIY warrior! This is why the laws are so strict regarding asbestos removal. Licenced asbestos removalists have the training, expertise, and experience to identify, remove, and dispose of asbestos safely and legally.

How Can You Find a Reputable Asbestos Removal Service?

Throughout this article, we have repeated that you must use a licenced asbestos removalist. But you might ask how to find a reputable asbestos removal service. Let's review a few basic steps to finding a trustworthy professional.

The first step is probably the easiest of all, and we probably do it daily: Google it! Yes, type into Google Asbestos Removal, plus your local area. In my case, that would be Asbestos Removal Newcastle. You can also use locations nearby, like asbestos removal Lake Macquarie, asbestos removal Central Coast, asbestos removal Hunter Valley or even asbestos removal near me.

Then, once you find someone you like, check reviews and ratings to ensure they're not a bunch of cowboys. You can also contact them for references. But to ensure the company you like is a licensed professional, you'll need to ask for their license number and verify it using one of the tools from your state, for example, in NSW, Verify.licence.

The End

Asbestos is a very dangerous material; it should only be handled by professionals - DIY is not an option under any circumstance and is just not worth the risk. Keep you, your family, your neighbours and your community safe and contact a licenced asbestos removalist if there is even the slightest possibility of asbestos being involved.