| About Asbestos
What is Asbestos?
Asbestos is one of the strongest natural
fibres known to man. It has been extensively used in the UK
for over 100 years, particularly in the building trade due
to its heat resistance and strength. There are three main
types of asbestos – White (Chrysotile), Brown (Amosite)
and Blue (Crocidolite). Asbestos is measured in microns -
fractions of millimetres, small enough to become lodged in
the lungs, causing disease and illness. It is estimated that
only around 25% of all asbestos in the UK has been professionally
removed, leaving thousands of tons still in the UK.
The harmful effects of Asbestos were suspected
even in Roman times but it was not until mass production of
asbestos containing products got underway that firm evidence
began to emerge.
The first legislation was introduced in
Britain in the 1920s and was designed to protect workers in
Asbestos manufacturing plants. By the 1980s the evidence was
so clear that first Crocidolite and Amosite were banned (1985)
and finally Chrysotile (November 1999).
Since the cessation of manufacture and importation,
attention has turned to the dangers presented to builders
and maintenance staff working, often unknowingly, in buildings
containing asbestos.
Asbestos exists everywhere and you can see
here some examples of where asbestos can be found in buildings.
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