Table Of Contents
Asbestos - What Is It?
Asbestos is robust, affordable, incombustible, heat-resistant, and fire-proof, making it an excellent material for construction and manufacturing. But asbestos poses serious health risks as well. Its fibres are discharged into the air and can be inhaled when asbestos is disturbed or damaged, causing lung disease, breathing issues, and cancer.
The friability of asbestos is one of the main reasons it is so dangerous. Asbestos is of two types based on friability: friable and non-friable asbestos. The likelihood of asbestos releasing its dangerous fibres increases with its degree of friability. Asbestos fibres are less likely to get airborne with decreased friability.
What Is The Friability Of Asbestos?
The tendency of asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) to fracture, chip, or crumble under stress or as a result of abrasion is known as friability. Friable ACMs are those that are more likely to sustain damage and consequently release inhalable asbestos fibres. These materials are easily crushed or ground into powder by touch.
How Does Friable Asbestos Work?
Inhalable asbestos fibres will be released into the air due to friable asbestos, which is more vulnerable to damage and can be broken easily. Friable asbestos is easily destroyed by hand and makes up more than 1% of asbestos by weight.
What Is Non-Friable Asbestos?
Non-friable asbestos is less likely to release dangerous fibres into the air because it is more resistant to tearing and abrasion. Human hands cannot damage non-friable asbestos because its fibre is difficult to disrupt.
What Kinds Of Asbestos Are Non-Friable?
Vinyl floor tiles, cement sheets, bitumen products, and textured decorative coatings are a few examples of non-friable asbestos-containing materials. Materials made with non-friable asbestos are less prone to sustain damage and emit dangerous fibres into the atmosphere. They present fewer health hazards since human hands cannot harm them.
Why Does Asbestos Become Friable?
Most asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) deteriorate over time due to ageing or weathering, making them brittle (friable). Some materials, like those used for insulation, are intrinsically brittle and more susceptible to disturbance.
What Types Of Asbestos Products Are Non-Friable?
Common non-friable asbestos-containing materials include, for instance:
- Roof sheeting
- Asbestos fencing
- Vinyl floor tiles
- Asbestos fibre cement wall
- Asbestos water pipes, gutters, and downpipes
- Bitumen products
- Textured decorative coatings
- Asbestos backing sheets
- Asbestos window putty and caulking
- Contaminated soil
Key Characteristics Of Non-Friable Asbestos
Non-friable asbestos is asbestos that is less likely to release dangerous fibres into the air. It is more resistant to breakage and abrasion than friable asbestos. The fibres are firmly bonded, sealed, and blended with other substances like cement. It is sometimes also referred to as bonded asbestos and cannot be easily disturbed or damaged with little force.
Most materials containing non-friable asbestos are generally difficult to break, making it more difficult for the fibres to be released into the air and become airborne. Non-friable asbestos typically poses a lower health risk than friable asbestos. Technically, non-friable asbestos-containing material does not pose a risk to human health if it is in excellent form and has not been altered in any way.
What Happens If Non-Friable Asbestos Is Disturbed?
Asbestos fibres are dangerous when inhaled. Humans can readily breathe or consume the fibres when airborne, which is called asbestos exposure. The cause of many asbestos-related diseases, such as asbestosis, mesothelioma, and lung cancer, is inhalation or ingestion of asbestos particles.
Non-friable asbestos can easily and quickly turn into friable asbestos once the material is disturbed. A non-friable substance can become friable through damage, wear, and aging, making it highly harmful. Non-friable asbestos will also be disturbed and become friable through cutting, sawing, sanding, drilling, breaking, and handling.
Asbestos is found in more than one-third of Australian homes. So, if you're planning any repairs or demolition work, it is crucial to test for asbestos before potentially making non-friable asbestos friable and endangering your health.
Diseases Linked To Asbestos Exposure
The greatest threat posed by non-friable asbestos is that degradation and deterioration will increase the material's friability over time. The materials can be broken and disturbed, releasing asbestos fibres due to physical impact, ageing, constant vibration, water damage, and other factors.
Non-friable asbestos materials will not release asbestos fibres if they are entirely neglected or do not deteriorate with time. The three primary diseases linked to asbestos exposure are as follows:
Asbestosis
Asbestosis is a chronic noncancerous respiratory condition. Asbestos fibres irritate lung tissues and cause permanent scarring when inhaled.
Lung cancer
Lung cancer is the leading cause of death from asbestos exposure.
Mesothelioma
A malignancy that typically affects the delicate membrane lining of vital organs. Mesothelioma is a quite rare and aggressive type of cancer.
Contact Expert Asbestos Removalists
Homeowners in some Australian jurisdictions are allowed to remove non-friable asbestos as long as the area is less than 10 m2. Identifying asbestos is the first step in asbestos removal. However, the Australian Department of Health and WorkSafe Australia strongly warns against it.
An accredited asbestos specialist must evaluate, remove, and dispose of any items containing friable and non-friable asbestos. Similarly, non-friable asbestos products should be handled with the same care as friable ones.
It is hazardous to handle non-friable asbestos since it can quickly turn friable. Without the proper authorisation, education, and asbestos experience, the risk of handling such material is simply too significant. If you suspect that your home was built using asbestos-containing materials, contact experts for asbestos handling and removal.
David
