HISTORY

ASBESTOS IS A NATURALLY OCCURRING MINERAL FOUND IN LARGE DEPOSITS ON EVERY CONTINENT IN THE WORLD. ARCHEOLOGISTS UNCOVERED ASBESTOS FIBRES IN DEBRIS DATING BACK TO THE STONE AGE. IT IS BELIEVED THAT AS EARLY AS 4000 BC, ASBESTOS FIBRES WERE USED FOR WICKS IN LAMPS AND CANDLES, SINCE THEN IT HAS SEEN WIDESPREAD USAGE WITHIN MANUFACTURING AND CONSTRUCTION RIGHT UP UNTIL 1999.

 

 

WHY
ASBESTOS?

IT IS OFTEN ASKED WHY ASBESTOS WAS USED SO WIDELY GIVEN ITS HEALTH RISKS TO HUMANS? THIS IS PARTLY DUE TO ITS CHARACTERISTICS; BEING ABSORBENT, STRONG AND RESILIENT TO HEAT, FIRE AND CHEMICAL DAMAGE ALONG, WITH ITS AFFORDABILITY. THE HEALTH LINKS WERE NOT IDENTIFIED UNTIL THE LATTER PART OF THE 20TH CENTURY. IT IS THE MULTITUDE OF CHARACTERISTICS THAT HAS SEEN ITS WIDESPREAD USE AND THE UK LIKE MANY COUNTRIES, HAS A CONSIDERABLE ASBESTOS PROBLEM.

 

 

ASBESTOS TYPES

THERE ARE 6 VARIETIES OF ASBESTOS IN TWO CATEGORIES;

SERPENTINE:
CHRYSOTILE(WHITE)

AMPHIBOLE:
AMOSITE(BROWN),

CROCIDOLITE(BLUE), TREMOLITE, ANTHOPHYLLITE AND ACTINOLITE.