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Asbestos is still a very important topic, although the government has banned the use of asbestos and asbestos-containing materials (ACM). But still, many countries are using asbestos in their products without considering the damage it can cause. As we already discussed a lot about asbestos, asbestos-containing material, how you can identify asbestos, and what could be the possible diseases that can be caused by asbestos. Today, we will discuss how many common types of asbestos are found in the UK. So, let’s get into the guide,
There are six common types of asbestos:
Let’s discuss each type one by one.
The first type of asbestos is “Actinolite,” which is usually dark in color, but it can also be white, green, grey, and transparent. They are sharp long needle-like fibers that can be easily inhaled when transported in the air. They are more like a crystal structure. Moreover, actinolite is made up of materials like calcium, iron, magnesium, and silicon. Although they are no longer used commercially as it’s a rare form of asbestos, but still, they are found in several asbestos-containing materials and fibers. They are light in weight and come in various forms including brittle, fibrous, dense, and compact.
Actinolite asbestos is commonly found in
The second type of asbestos is amosite which is popular by the name brown asbestos because you will find them in your insulation and ceilings in a light brown texture; that’s why they are often called brown asbestos. They are usually traded by the name “grunerite.” It’s a material that is commonly mined in South Africa. Talking about their structure, they are like-needle that can easily be inhaled when disturbed. They contain iron and magnesium; that’s why they are widely used in different insulation boards.
According to our research, the biggest user of amosite is the UK because of its anti-condensation and soundproofing properties.
Amosite asbestos is commonly found in
The third type of asbestos is anthophyllite. Although it’s not very popular, it is sometimes found in insulation, vermiculites, and construction material. By appearance, they can be either white, grey, or green and sometimes range from brown to yellowish. They are composed of long needle-like fibers that can be easily inhaled due to their thin and small size and can cause serious damage to the health. They are primarily composed of two materials, magnesium and iron. It’s the rarest form of asbestos because it’s not been used commercially in any customer product. But they found their way into the products made up of vermiculite and talc.
Anthophyllite asbestos is commonly found in
The fourth type of asbestos is Crocidolite which is popular by the name “Blue asbestos.” It’s the most dangerous type of asbestos in the amphibole family. Talking about its structure, they are extremely sharp fibers that can easily breathe in and could be dangerous for your health. They are composed of sodium iron and magnesium silicate; both are the riskiest type of elements due to their physical properties. According to the studies, crocidolite asbestos is one of the most hazardous types of asbestos that can even cause death. According to our research, they are mostly found in Africa and Australia.
Crocidolite asbestos is commonly found in
The fifth common type of asbestos is tremolite, which is popular for its heat-resistant properties. Like other types of asbestos from the amphibole family, tremolite has sharp fibers that can be easily inhaled or ingested and can cause serious asbestos-related diseases like cancer. They appear as milky white, dark green, brown, gray, or transparent fibers commonly found in materials like talc and vermiculite, which are widely used in makeup products.
Tremolite asbestos is commonly found in
The last and the most common type of asbestos that is widely used in almost every product is “Chrysotile asbestos. “It’s the only type of asbestos that falls into the serpentine category and is popular by the name “white asbestos.” About 90 to 95 percent of chrysotile asbestos is found in buildings. They are used in various products that still many countries like Canada, Italy, and Russia are exporting in large volumes as it’s the most dangerous form of asbestos found on Earth that can cause some of the major diseases like pleural mesothelioma. Talking about their structure, they are like long curly fibers that can weave into several shapes for incorporating into different products. They are so small that they can easily be inhaled and cause great damage to your lungs.
Chrysotile asbestos is commonly found in
Now that you have all the knowledge about different types of asbestos, here are some of the solutions to minimize different sources of asbestos from spreading,
FAQ’s
Asbestos is small microscopic thin fibers that are sometimes difficult to see with the naked eye. They usually appear as blue, brown, and white fibers, as they are weightless, so they keep floating in the air.
There are six common types of asbestos that are divided into amphibole and serpentine mineral families.
The 3 main types of asbestos are
1. Chrysotile asbestos
2. Amosite asbestos
3. Crocidolite asbestos
Crocidolite and Amositefrom the amphibole family have the best fire properties because they have higher heat resistance.
Chrysotile asbestos from the serpentine class is extensively used in fireproofing applications for fire protection.
There are three types of asbestos training
1. Awareness training
2. Non-licensed asbestos training
3. Licensed asbestos work
Chrysotile is the most common type of asbestos that is used all over the world.
Amosite asbestos is known as brown asbestos.
Conclusion
Now that you know all the common types of asbestos that could be found in different materials and how they look, it will be easy for you to identify them. But always remember one thing this guide is only for your knowledge; we do not recommend you to remove asbestos by yourself as it’s a deadly disease. If you identify asbestos in any area of your property, contact us as soon as possible.
We are a specialized company that offers Asbestos removal services with a wide range of other services including Legionella Risk Assessment (LRA) and Fire Risk Assessment (FRA). If you still have any questions, feel free to ask. We will be happy to help you. Thank you.
Fred Wilson was always a good science student in school and college, and therefore has always known about the health risks introduced by the Asbestos mineral. After completing his education, he eagerly enrolled into environmental hazards evaluation, and completed his Asbestos Risk Assessment training recently. He has since surveyed countless houses, businesses and buildings to detect leftover traces of Asbestos, and recommended ways to exterminate this threat to responsible people.
The keen passion of Fire Safety Risk Assessment is to offer professional services, delivered in a timely manner. For all businesses, commercial premises & landlords, FSRA keeps your businesses safe controlling the risk of loss from fire hazards, asbestos risks and from legionella bacteria.
6 Comments
Klarrisa March 23, 2023
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Mr. Chips March 23, 2023
We are delighted to have such amazing feedback. Thank you!
Frances March 23, 2023
Gracias por la publicación informativa. Amor a leer
Mr. Chips March 23, 2023
Agradecemos su comentario. Siga visitando nuestro blog nuevamente para obtener más información sobre la evaluación del riesgo de incendios, la seguridad contra incendios, la legionela y la gestión del asbesto.
Kathie March 23, 2023
Very soon this website will be famous among all blog visitors, due to it’s fastidious articles. Thanks for sharing basic information about common types of Asbestos that are found in the UK.
Mr. Chips March 23, 2023
We are always happy when having great feedback like yours! Keep visiting to read much more.