# Asbestos

> Asbestos is a fibrous mineral once common in building products. Where it is found in older buildings, health risks, and what to do before renovation.

- URL: https://essential.construction/academy/glossary/asbestos/
- Author: Kyle Parry (https://essential.construction/about-us/kyle-parry/, https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyleparry/) - Kyle Parry is the founder of Essential Construction. He has worked in construction for more than 20 years, leading projects across Canada for the country's largest contractors and developers.
- Publisher: Essential Construction (https://essential.construction/)
- Last updated: 2026-11-03

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**Asbestos** is the name for a group of naturally occurring fibrous minerals that were widely used in building products because they are strong, durable and resist heat and fire. The most common type in buildings is chrysotile (white asbestos); amphibole types such as amosite (brown) and crocidolite (blue) were also used. When asbestos materials are damaged or disturbed, they release tiny fibres that can be inhaled and cause serious lung disease and cancer.

Asbestos was used heavily in construction through much of the 20th century, so many older buildings still contain it. On renovation and demolition projects it has to be identified and managed before work starts.

## Where asbestos is found in buildings

| Material | Where you may find it |
| --- | --- |
| Pipe, boiler and duct insulation | Mechanical rooms, pipe chases, older heating systems |
| Sprayed fireproofing and insulation | Structural steel, ceilings, plant rooms |
| Vinyl floor tiles and black mastic | Older floors, often under newer flooring |
| Textured ceilings and wall coatings | "Popcorn" ceilings, decorative plaster |
| Drywall joint compound and plaster | Walls and ceilings in older buildings |
| Asbestos cement sheet and pipe | Siding, roofing, soffits, water and drain pipes |
| Roofing felts, mastics and sealants | Roofs and flashings |
| Vermiculite loose-fill insulation | Attics and wall cavities (some sources contaminated) |
| Gaskets, rope seals, fire doors | Boilers, furnaces, older door cores |

## Why asbestos is dangerous

Breathing in asbestos fibres can cause asbestosis (scarring of the lungs), lung cancer and mesothelioma, a cancer of the lining of the lungs or abdomen. These diseases usually appear decades after exposure, which is why people who worked with asbestos in the past are still being diagnosed today. There is no known safe level of exposure.

## Friable vs non-friable

**Friable** materials can be crumbled by hand pressure, such as pipe lagging and sprayed insulation. They release fibres easily and are the highest risk. **Non-friable** materials such as floor tiles and cement sheet hold fibres more tightly, but become hazardous when cut, sanded, drilled or broken.

## Regulations

Many countries have banned asbestos: the UK in 1999, Australia at the end of 2003 and Canada in 2018. In the US, the EPA finalized a ban on ongoing uses of chrysotile asbestos in 2024, and work with existing asbestos is regulated by OSHA's construction asbestos standard and EPA rules for renovation and demolition. Rules on surveys, licensing and disposal differ by country, state and province.

## Before you renovate or demolish

- Get a hazardous materials survey for the areas affected before work starts.
- Share the results with every trade and keep the asbestos register on site.
- Use qualified [abatement](https://essential.construction/academy/glossary/abatement/) contractors for removal, with air monitoring and regulated disposal.
- If workers find a suspect material that was not surveyed, stop work in that area and get it tested.

## Related terms

- [Abatement](https://essential.construction/academy/glossary/abatement/)

## Related templates and guides

- [Asbestos treatment and disposal](https://essential.construction/academy/tutorials/asbestos-treatment-and-disposal/)
- [OSHA asbestos standard for the construction industry](https://essential.construction/files/information/codes/safety-regulations/osha-regulation-3096-01r-2002-asbestos-standard-for-construction-industry/)
- [Safety meeting: asbestos exposure](https://essential.construction/files/construction/safety/toolbox-talks/weekly-safety-meeting-asbestos-exposure/)
- [How to safely remove asbestos](https://essential.construction/files/information/guides/safe-work-method-statement-information-sheet-copy/)
- [Renovating a heritage building](https://essential.construction/academy/tutorials/renovating-a-heritage-building/)

## Frequently asked questions

### When was asbestos used in construction?

Asbestos was used in building products for much of the 20th century, with the heaviest use from roughly the 1950s to the 1980s. Use declined as health risks became clear and bans arrived, but timing varies by country, so any building from before the ban in your jurisdiction may contain it.

### How can you tell if a material contains asbestos?

You cannot tell reliably by looking. A trained asbestos surveyor or inspector takes samples, and an accredited laboratory analyses them. Until tested, treat suspect materials in older buildings as if they contain asbestos and do not disturb them.

### Is asbestos dangerous if it is left alone?

Asbestos-containing materials in good condition that are not disturbed generally pose a low risk. The danger comes when they are damaged, drilled, cut, sanded or removed, which releases fibres. Many owners manage such materials in place with an asbestos register and regular condition checks.

### Who is allowed to remove asbestos?

In most jurisdictions, removal of anything beyond minor, low-risk work must be done by trained, and often licensed, abatement contractors following set procedures, with air monitoring and regulated disposal. Rules differ between the US, Canada, the UK and Australia, so check local regulations.