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What is Asbestos?

Asbestos is the common name for any variety of silicate materials that are fibrous in structure and are more resistant to acid and fire than other materials. It has two forms, serpentine and amphibole, and is made of impure magnesium silicate. Asbestos is used for thermal insulation, fire proofing, electrical insulation, building materials, brake linings and has been used in numerous industries.

Serpentine and amphibole asbestos both exhibit physical and chemical resistance to high temperatures and applied force. The raw ore of both forms is made up of fibrous strands. The strands then continue to split into smaller and thinner fibres as disturbance continues and increases. Asbestos' ore form will initially divide into visible strands, fibre bundles, and individual fibres. But then those visible strands, bundles, and fibres will continue to split into microscopic fibres, bundles, and strands. The splitting can continue on to minute levels of microscopic levels of detection. This process is unique to asbestos and is why airborne asbestos is such a problem. The fibres can become so small that they remain airborne longer and pass undetected by the respiratory dust defences.
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Physical characteristics differentiate the serpentine and amphibole forms. Serpentines divide into curly, wavy fibres that show little resistance to being bent or spiralled. Amphibole fibres are needle like shards that show great resistance to being bent or curled. Serpentines are like man-made wool in appearance, where amphiboles are like man-made fibreglass.

In addition to the two forms, there are three main types of asbestos: Chrysotile, Amosite, and Crocidolite. Chrysotile asbestos is serpentine and Amosite and Crocidolite are amphibole. Chrysotile is the chief commercial asbestos today. Amosite is used in insulating materials and Crocidolite is used for making asbestos-cement products.

Canada is a chief producer of asbestos, which has some of the largest asbestos mine fields in the world. Other producers are Russia, Zimbabwe, the Republic of South Africa, Cyprus, and the United States of America.

Asbestos is a potent carcinogen, that is, a cancer-causing substance, and is a serious health hazard. It is the known cause of pleural plaques, asbestosis, mesothelioma, causes cancers of the lung, oesophagus, and colon. Diseases caused by asbestos have a long latency period, usually taking ten to forty years before showing any symptoms of the disease. This is especially apparent today, when people who worked with installing asbestos as insulation and other materials in the 1970s are just now coming to realize that they are developing cancer at alarming rates.
The Many Uses Of Asbestos
Cement Pipes   Elevator Brake Shoes
Cement Wallboard HVAC Duct Insulation
Cement Siding Boiler Insulation
Asphalt Floor Tile Breaching Insulation
Vinyl Floor Tile Ductwork Flexible Fabric Connections
Vinyl Sheet Flooring Cooling Towers
Flooring Backing Pipe Insulation (corrugated air-cell, block, etc.)
Construction Mastics (floor tile, carpet, ceiling tile, etc.) Heating and Electrical Ducts
Acoustical Plaster Electrical Panel Partitions
Decorative Plaster Electrical Cloth
Textured Paints/Coatings Electric Wiring Insulation
Ceiling Tiles and Lay-in Panels Chalkboards
Spray-Applied Insulation Roofing Shingles
Blown-in Insulation Roofing Felt
Fireproofing Materials Base Flashing
Taping Compounds (thermal) Thermal Paper Products
Packing Materials (for wall/floor penetrations) Fire Doors
High Temperature Gaskets Caulking/Putties
Laboratory Hoods/Table Tops Adhesives
Laboratory Gloves Wallboard
Fire Blankets Joint Compounds
Fire Curtains Vinyl Wall Coverings

RDS Asbestos Management Consultants (UK) Limited
Head Office
The Tannery, Combs
Stowmarket
Suffolk
IP14 2EN 
United Kingdom
TEL: 01449 612405   
Email: info@rdsasbestos.com
Northern Regional Office
Melton Court
Gibson Lane
Melton
HU14 3HH
United Kingdom
TEL: 01482 638579  -  Fax: 01912 308025
Email: info@rdsasbestos.com