Asbestos, a fibrous silicate mineral, is a general name given to a group of six different minerals made up of fibres and occurring naturally in the environment. Useful for its high chemical resistance, mechanical resistance and its insulating capacity, this mineral was extensively used in the building and industrial sectors during the twentieth century. Asbestos Containing Materials (ACM) are classified as either friable (soft, crumbly or loose fibres) or non-friable (bonded or solid).

Non-friable asbestos generally cannot be crumbled or pulverised into powder when dry, and was commonly used in building materials including fibro, corrugated or compressed asbestos cement sheets as well as water piping and flue pipes. Where fibro or other bonded asbestos sheeting is broken, damaged over time by 'wear and tear' or mishandled by other means, fibres can become loose and airborne, thus posing a risk.

Friable asbestos is any material containing asbestos in the form of a powder or can be crumbled by hand pressure. Considered as the more dangerous of the two varieties, friable asbestos was mainly used in industrial applications and was also sometimes used as ceiling insulation.

Phased out in the 1980s and eventually banned in mining, manufacturing and use in Australia in 2003 as the dangerous and cancerous effects of asbestos become known, does not mean that asbestos is no longer relevant or a thing of the past. Based on its widescale historic use and that asbestos fibres cannot be broken down easily by chemicals or bacteria, asbestos and ACM continue to remain in many workplaces and homes around Australia. In the home, asbestos can be found in wall sheeting of wet areas, such as in the kitchen, bathroom and laundry. Other internal locations include carpet underlays, linoleum and vinyl tiles, drains and electrical meter boards, ceiling space (insulation). Outside the home, it’s still lurking around - garages, roofs, eaves, around hot water pipes and boiler insulation, fences, garages, outdoor toilets, garden sheds, backyard and farm structures, chook sheds and even dog kennels! This hazardous material can also be found in brakes, clutches, and gaskets.

Potential locations of asbestos in the home

Many buildings, especially older properties, may today have asbestos or ACM. The diagram shows some areas where asbestos or ACM potentially can be located. Risk to health is low if left undisturbed or unlikely that airborne asbestos fibres will be released. Importantly, you will not be able to discover asbestos by simply looking at it - always verify with a NATA Accredited lab!    

National Asbestos Awareness Week (NAAW) 2022: November 21-27

NAAW, which is being held this year on the last week of November (Nov 21-27, 2022), reminds Australians to Think Twice About Asbestos. Occupiers and tradespeople are being reminded to 'do things the right way' by ensuring the proper and lawful disposal of asbestos. The campaign is organised by the Australian Government’s Asbestos Safety and Eradication Agency, in partnership with state and territory government agencies and non-government organisations.      

National Asbestos Awareness Month (NAAM) 2022: November 1-30

Since 2011, the month of November has been marked as NAAM in a bid to improve education about asbestos. In 2022, home renovators are the focus, as tightening budgets around strains in the cost of living and a general shortage of tradespeople are seeing more homeowners turn to DIY. The campaign had Federal Government funding until 2018. Since 2021, Asbestos Awareness has been run pro bono by an independent Asbestos Education Committee comprised of experts across health, government, industry and victims of asbestos-related diseases and are seeking ongoing funding. Funding partners are being sought to continue providing resources including fact sheets, guides to identifying asbestos in the home and checklists for both DIYers and specific trades to identify common asbestos-containing products you’re likely to encounter and where you’ll find them.