what is asbestos?

Asbestos is a generic term used to describe several forms of naturally occurring silicate minerals, e.g. Chrysotile (white asbestos), Amosite (brown asbestos) and Crocidolite (blue asbestos).

The link between exposure to all types of asbestos, particularly airborne fibres, and fatal illnesses is well known. It is estimated that over 3000 people die of asbestos related causes each year, with the number increasing annually.

The most common serious diseases caused by exposure to asbestos are: Asbestosis, Lung Cancer and Mesothelioma. For these diseases there is no known cure, with victims sometimes dying within 18 months to 2 years from diagnosis.

Millions of tons of products containing asbestos have been used in construction in the past, with many of these products still there and no central register in existence. Here are some places where asbestos can be found: wall and ceiling panels, pipe insulation, floor and ceiling tiles, fuse boxes, roofing materials, rainwater goods and water tanks.

It's a fact

In the late 13th Century, Marco Polo visited an asbestos mine in China. He concluded that asbestos was a stone and not the hair of a woolly lizard.