ASBESTOS EXPOSURE

Outside of occupational and industrial exposure, asbestos is most commonly found in older homes, furnace and pipe insulation materials, asbestos shingles, millboard, textured paints and other coating materials, and floor tiles. Elevated concentrations of airborne asbestos can occur after asbestos-containing materials are disturbed by cutting, sanding or other remodeling activities. Improper attempts to remove these materials can release asbestos into the air. When inhaled, these fibers are strongly associated with numerous types of cancer and illness, including mesothelioma.

PRODUCTS CONTAINING ASBESTOS

Asbestos has historically been used in industrial products and materials for its resistance to heat, electricity and chemical damage. Although asbestos products have not been widely used in construction since approximately 1975, the products in place present a danger to individuals involved in repairing or demolishing structures containing asbestos. The following list of products may contain asbestos:

• Acoustical products, spray and tile
• Adhesives and cements
• Asbestos rope, braiding and wick
• Asbestos tape or thread
• Asphalt products, including tile and sundries
• Automotive, truck, and marine products, including brake linings, pads and shoes, brake blocks, clutch materials, transmission components, gasket materials and shock absorbers
• Caulking compounds and coatings
• Ceiling panels, tiles and related sundries
• Cement products, including cement or mortar, board, flooring, panels, pipe, flat and corrugated sheet, siding, shingles and stucco
• Ceramic or paint fillers
• Cigarette filters
• Commercial or industrial machines and components, including brake linings, clutch facings, thermal insulation, transmission components and gaskets
• Detackifying/demolding agents
• Drywall joint treatment products, including joint compound, joint cement, joint treatment, joint sealant and caulking compounds
• Fireproofing products
• Gaskets, sheet packing and molded products
• Gypsum products, including fire retardant gypsum board, lath, finishing and taping compounds
• Hair dryers
• Insulating tape
• Mastics, coating and sealing products
• Millboard, rollboard and mineral wool board
• Oven mittens
• Paint products, roof coating and floor coating
• Phenolic or plastic resins
• Plaster and plaster products
• Plumbing joint sealant
• Protective clothing, often worn by firefighters and race car drivers
• Racing helmets
• Refractory products, including clays, cements, shapes, blocks used to build, insulate, or seal structures subjected to high heat such as boilers, furnaces and kilns
• Resilient floor covering products, including tile, sheet, backing and sundries
• Roofing products, including cements, coating, felts, deckings, flashings, paints and shingles
• Siding
• Spackling compound
• Textured paints
• Thermal insulating blankets
• Thermal insulating cloth/textiles
• Thermal insulation products, including pipe insulation, pipe covering, pipe wrap, cement, block insulation, spray and sundries