The word Asbestos causes fear for many people. Concern for their health, the environment, and for the bill associated with its removal. Let’s look at Asbestos so you can understand what it is, where it is, and why the health concern.

Asbestos is a mineral that is found in nature. If you can imagine how gold, silver or even iron is found inside rock, same with Asbestos. When it is processed, it looks almost fuzzy. It is this characteristic, being very fibrous, that makes it desirable. These fibres have a very high tensile strength.
Before 1990 it was used in the production of many items. Unfortunately this includes many parts of a house as well. You can find Asbestos in your roof shingles, ceiling and floor tiles, in your insulation in your walls and attic, even in the plaster used around the house. It is used for its great insulation and fire resistant abilities.

The concern comes when Asbestos is disturbed. It is made up of tiny fibres that can break off and float around in the air. When someone inhales or consumes these fibres it can lead to asbestosis, mesothelioma or lung cancer. It can also increase your risk for cancers of the digestive system and colon cancer. In plain English, when it gets in your body it can make you very sick. Testing has shown that limited exposure is not likely to lead to sickness. It was most common among those that worked with it frequently for long periods of time. That being said, there is still a risk with limited exposure so it is best to not be exposed at all.

Asbestos was originally banned in Canada in 1979, but many products containing Asbestos continued to be used right up to 1990. As of April 2016, Canada has banned the use of Asbestos containing materials in all construction and major renovations. The final ban on all Asbestos came in 2018 with very few exceptions. It is still in use in the chlor-alkali industry, the military, nuclear facilities, and magnesium extraction.

There are a few countries around the world that still use Asbestos. Surprisingly it is not banned in the US. In fact, some products you may find Asbestos in include clothing, roofing felt, vinyl floor tile, pipeline wrap, certain automotive parts such as brake pads and transmission components just to name a few.

If you suspect you have Asbestos in your home, you can get a test online but it is probably best to let a professional handle it. You can usually get the results back very quickly. When buying or selling a property, if a home inspector suspects the presence of Asbestos they must submit it for testing. Removal can have a significant cost due to the precautions required.

If you have Asbestos in your home, it will need to be removed. If it is in the insulation, floor or ceiling tiles, just leave it alone until a professional can remove it. If it is not disturbed, it is not likely to make you sick. Remember that it is the little fibres that break off and become airborne that get into your body and make you sick.