What is Asbestos? Pt. 1
Posted on: February 03, 2012 by: Jeff
In light of all the attention to asbestos recently, I thought I’d do a blog post on it.
First there was the local businessman who knowingly exposed his workers to asbestos and then there was the CBC news report on the asbestos industry. I figured I'd jump on the bandwagon and put up an informative post.
What is Asbestos?
Asbestos is a natural mineral that is strong enough to resist high temperatures, chemical reaction and general wear and tear. It is a poor electrical conductor but insulates well against heat and electricity.
The asbestos crystals can be formed into silky fibers and it is so versatile that is can be used in anything from cotton to cement. Asbestos can be spun into yarn, woven into cloth or braided into rope, that is how versatile asbestos is. In the first half of the 1900’s people were even calling asbestos, white gold because it was so useful. 
What is asbestos used in?
In ancient times, the Greeks wove the asbestos into oil lamp wicks, funeral shrouds and ceremonial tablecloths. More recently up until the 1980’s, asbestos was used in buildings to insulate hot water heating systems and put into walls, ceilings and tiles to protect it from fires. Asbestos has also been widely used in transportation and electrical appliances, usually combined with other materials to increase durability.
In the house, asbestos has been used for shingles, roofing, exterior siding, pipe and boiler covering, cement, caulking, driveway coating, paint, ceiling tiles, plaster, floor tiles, hair dryers, irons, clay pottery and even aprons. These are just some examples of what asbestos has been used in as it was so widely used.
After the 1980’s it was evident that regular exposure to asbestos created health risks, which lead to a dramatic decline in asbestos use. Since the early 1980’s asbestos use in building and pipe insulation has been eliminated. Residential use of asbestos for roofing, flooring and appliances is decreasing.
Although it is still being used, regulations have been put in place under the Hazardous Products Act to better encapsulate and seal the escape of asbestos fibers.
Stay tuned!
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