Asbestos types

Asbestos is very dangerous; in fact, inhaling asbestos fibres has many adverse effects on your health. There are different types of asbestos, which pose different degrees of risk. For example, brown and blue asbestos are more dangerous than white asbestos. But how to recognise the different asbestos types, and how to get them removed?

What asbestos types are there?

All types of asbestos consist of tiny asbestos fibres that cannot be seen by the naked eye. Asbestos used to be widely used in construction because of its strong, hard-wearing, fire-resistant and cheap properties. It was widely used as insulation or fire-resistant material. In total, there are 6 different types of asbestos. Check them out in the clear table below:

Distinctive features

The colours listed after the asbestos types have to do with the colour of the types of asbestos fibres, which cannot be seen with the naked eye. After asbestos fibres are processed, asbestos always has a white-grey colour.

The asbestos types that are most common are white, brown and blue asbestos. These are the only types of asbestos used for commercial purposes. White asbestos is the most commonly used: in about 85% of production in the Netherlands. However, it is important to note that products containing asbestos often contain more than one type of asbestos. If we look at the binding of asbestos fibres, asbestos types can be divided into two groups:

Bonded asbestos

Bonded asbestos materials are products in which asbestos is strongly incorporated. The asbestos fibres are then strongly bonded in another material, think for example of asbestos cement corrugated sheets. This makes it unlikely that fibres will be released, as long as the material is in good condition and is not worked on or demolished. In some cases, bonded asbestos does not need to be removed but can be left in place. For this, have an asbestos management plan drawn up.

Loose-bound asbestos

With loose-bound or non-attached asbestos material, asbestos is not strongly incorporated into another material. This allows the fibres to be released more easily, making non-attached asbestos very dangerous. Moreover, it also has a high asbestos content, approximately between 75% and 100%.

How are the different types of asbestos used?

As you have read, white asbestos, brown asbestos and blue asbestos are the only asbestos types used commercially. As such, you will find these asbestos types most often. Asbestos was widely used in construction because of the strong properties of the asbestos fibres, which is why it is still often found in our homes.

Asbestos was widely used from the 1940s until the 1980s. Due to health risks, it was banned from processing and selling asbestos in July 1993. See below some examples of how bonded and loose-bonded asbestos used to be used:

How to recognise different types of asbestos?

Recognising asbestos by the colour of the asbestos fibres is impossible, as it always has a white-grey colour after processing. In addition, it is odourless and the asbestos fibres are not visible to the naked eye. It also sometimes happens that the natural colour of asbestos is over-dyed with another colour.

Recognising asbestos an sich is therefore very difficult. Determining which type of asbestos fibre is involved yourself is therefore impossible. The only way to know for sure whether you are dealing with asbestos is to call in an asbestos specialist. You call in a specialist if you have asbestos-suspicious material in your house. This is how to recognise asbestos-suspicious material:

• A specialist recognises asbestos-suspicious material by its structure and colour. Products with a soft, fibrous structure are often loosely bound asbestos fibres. Bonded asbestos fibres are often embedded in harder material, such as corrugated sheets. To identify asbestos-suspicious material, the asbestos inventory specialist carries out an inventory of visible material. If the asbestos specialist thinks hidden asbestos is present, he or she performs a full inventory.
• In some cases, colour is a clue: asbestos is often whitish-greyish, but after long periods of time, the colours may change back to brown or blue.
• The age of the asbestos-suspicious products: especially in older houses before 1994, you may find asbestos in several places. Until 1983, many products were made with loose-bonded asbestos materials. Till 1983, many products were made using bonded asbestos. From the 1980s, more and more laws and regulations on the use and sale of asbestos-containing materials came into force.

If, with the information above, you think you have asbestos-suspicious material in your home and want to know what kind of asbestos fibre it is, have an asbestos inventory carried out by a certified asbestos inventory company. The company will do an inspection, take samples and examine them for the presence of asbestos. This is the only way to find out whether asbestos is really present, what type of asbestos it is and whether you need to have it removed.

How dangerous are the different asbestos types?

Asbestos in the home does not always have to be dangerous, because asbestos is only dangerous if you inhale asbestos fibres. The risk of inhaling asbestos fibres differs for each type of asbestos. But how dangerous are the different types of asbestos then?

It is important to know that bonded asbestos materials are less dangerous than loose asbestos materials.

• With bonded asbestos materials, the asbestos is stuck in another product. As a result, you do not inhale asbestos fibres. But there is still a risk: if you start rebuilding or there are damages/tears in the asbestos material, asbestos fibres are still released. For this reason, you do need to be aware of asbestos-containing material in your home.
• With loose-bound asbestos materials, the asbestos fibres are not strongly attached to the product. This asbestos is therefore more dangerous, as there is a greater chance of releasing asbestos fibres. The asbestos fibres are more easily released when vibrated, touched or damaged.

Must all asbestos be removed immediately?

Suppose you have an asbestos inventory carried out and the test shows that asbestos is present in your home. Then you do not always have to call in an asbestos removal company. This depends on the harmfulness of the asbestos found.

• Bound asbestos often does not need to be removed immediately. This is because it poses no immediate danger, as long as you do not damage it or rebuild it. You draw up an asbestos management plan for this. Of course, you can still choose to have the asbestos removed.
• You should have non-attached asbestos removed immediately, as it is very harmful to your health. In the event of brown or blue asbestos (loose), contact an asbestos removal company as soon as possible.

How much does asbestos removal cost?

To guarantee your safety and that of your housemates, choose an asbestos removal company with Ascert certification. Check out the average cost of asbestos removal in the clear table below: