There are lots of common misconceptions regarding asbestos.
Untrue comments from past experience and what we’ve found online include;
‘There are 2 types of Asbestos, (Blue and white) one is harmful and the other isn’t’
‘It’s white asbestos so it’s safe’
There are commonly three types of asbestos Chrysotile (white) Amosite (brown) and Crocidolite (blue).
All asbestos is potentially dangerous dependant on its condition and the type of material it’s bonded in.
See our examples below of when asbestos could be classed as safe or dangerous dependant on the material it’s contained within and its condition.
Garages and garage roofs typically contain white asbestos. In good condition, this is a low risk material as the asbestos is tightly bonded within the cement, the fibres aren’t easily released and the asbestos content tends to be low and 10-15%.
Pipe lagging can often contain white asbestos. This is always a high risk material irrelevant of its condition due to its potential to become easily damaged. The fibres can be more easily released as they are not tightly bonded like cement and the asbestos content can be as high as 85%.
Although we’ve established that asbestos cement is a lower risk material, removal of this material still requires that all work is carried out in accordance with the HSE Guidance.
As we are fully licensed contractors and can carry out the removal of all asbestos containing materials, we carry out all our works to the highest standards.