What Do Asbestos Containing Materials Look Like?

Fortunately a rarely found ACM, this material is simply pure, loose asbestos which is extremely easy to disturb and release airborne fibres resulting in high exposures. Loose fill can be made of the most hazardous crocidolite asbestos form.

When found, this has usually been applied as fire protection to structural steel work, so usually in non-domestic settings. Has been found as insulation to the underside of roofs. Contains 55%–85% asbestos. As per the example in the photo, this can be very friable and easy to disturb. This spray coating was found in a Co-Op in Wiltshire. The material was used in the construction of St Johns Shopping Centre in Liverpool and in Liverpool's Catholic Cathedral both constructed in the 1960s.

Was either wet, hand-applied, or pre-fabricated, and sold in sections. Was applied to pipes and plant to retain heat. May have a 15% to 85% asbestos content. Produces a lot of dust which can become airborne when it is disturbed. This instance was found within the basement and loft of a 1900 house in Knutsford surveyed, and was in poor condition and unsealed, posing a high risk of fibre release.

This material is more common within houses, particularly those constructed from the 1970s until 1984. Contains up to 25% amosite asbestos, and gives off significant fibre release when disturbed. The photo here was a damaged AIB lining around an old warm air heater cupboard in a 1970s flat located in Liverpool, L18.

An insulating board which may contain up to almost 100% asbestos and is therefore less dense and more able to give off fibres.

Made from up to 100% chrysotile, can be present in a number of applications, including as a lining to the rear of old patterned linos. This photo was taken from a survey of a house in Liverpool, L18. The material was present beneath many of the carpets throughout the house. The householder had removed a lot of the material, before being aware of its asbestos content.

Again with up to an 100% asbestos content, asbestos rope, string, blankets etc can be present in many applications. The photo shows pure amosite rope found in a loft in Liverpool, L10, where it had been used to insulate pipes. The material was heavily degraded with associated dust present around the material, posing a high risk of fibre release.

Asbestos gaskets are made up of 90% asbestos, but are usually of very low risk, as are made by heavily compressing the material and are usually present, enclosed between pipe flanges. Can pose more of a risk if they have been removed and are deteriorating. In the instance in the photograph, the pipe flange had been removed, which still had the asbestos gasket stuck to its underside. The flange was being used as a door stop in a caretaker's office in a Liverpool school. This was breaking the gasket down each time it scraped along the concrete floor.

Was a widely used material in a vast array of applications, due to its 10-15% asbestos content giving the cement far greater strength. Typically seen in roofing products – undercloaking, fascia boards, soffit boards, roof sheets, roof tiles, but also as flue pipes, soil vent pipes etc. The photo shows a shed, which has a corrugated Asbestos Cement roof, flat Asbestos Cement sheet walls and Asbestos Cement rainwater goods found at a house in Widnes.

This is the ACMs which everyone seems to know about, probably due to it being so easy to identify. However it is one of the least hazardous, with an asbestos content generally less than 3%. A risk with homebuyers surveyors often only commenting on textured coatings is that it can give the impression that textured coating is the only ACM which may be present within the house. Textured coatings may often be hidden / enclosed beneath smooth plaster skim finishes.

Again an extremely common material, especially on concrete ground floors of houses constructed in the 70s and 80s. Generally a very low risk material, with low asbestos content and a well bound material. Asbestos may be present within the floor tiles but also the bitumen adhesive beneath them.

Asbestos was used in many composite materials, such as plastics, e.g. Bakelite toilet cisterns, mastic sealant around windows and as composite pipes. The photo shows an asbestos containing Bakelite toilet cistern.