Public Health Wales

What is asbestos?

Asbestos is a general name given to several naturally occurring fibrous minerals.

There are two main types: serpentine (chrysotile or white asbestos) and amphiboles, which comprises a number of sub-types including amosite (brown asbestos).

Asbestos minerals are widespread in the environment and due to their strong, heat and chemical-resistant properties, they were once regarded as an ideal material for use in a number of building products such as insulation boards, boilers, pipes and sheet roofing.

The use of asbestos in new building materials is now banned.

What is the impact of asbestos exposure?

Most asbestos products pose little risk if they are intact. However, if asbestos-containing products become damaged, fibres might be released into the air. People who work with asbestos or with asbestos-containing products may be exposed to higher levels of asbestos fibres in air than the general public.

Breathing in high concentrations of asbestos for a long period of time (often regarded as life-time exposure) can adversely affect the lungs, causing a disease called asbestosis which results in heart problems and breathing difficulties.

It is also possible that they could develop lung cancer, since asbestos is classified as a human carcinogen for which no absolutely safe level can be specified.

People breathing in lower concentrations, but again over a long period, may develop pleural plaques or mesothelioma.

What is the scale of the problem?

Since asbestos use has been so widespread and because fibres are also naturally occurring, there is evidence to suggest that we are all exposed to, and inhale, a small number of asbestos fibres suspended in air on a daily basis.

It is however very unlikely that the general population will be exposed to a level of asbestos high enough and over a sufficiently long period of time to cause adverse health effects.

Similarly, secondary exposures, to someone or something that has been in direct contact with asbestos containing materials, particularly if short-term, are unlikely to pose an elevated public health risk.

What is being done to manage the impact?

The new use of brown asbestos was banned in 1985, and the new use of white asbestos has been illegal since 1999.

The law only applies to the new use of these materials. If asbestos is already in place in a building, it does not have to be removed, but its condition must be managed to ensure it is not disturbed, disturbing such materials can release fibres into the air.

Under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 link to external website - opens in new window

, most works involving asbestos must be undertaken by a person properly licensed by the Health and Safety Executive to do so.

It is possible that asbestos-containing materials are present in your home if it was built before 2000. Asbestos may have been used in the construction of concrete products such as roofs and pipes, in water tanks, in insulating board that looks like plasterboard, or in ceilings or ceiling coverings such as artex.

The presence of asbestos in your home should not be a cause for alarm if it is intact and unlikely to be disturbed, and the best course of action is to leave it alone.

However, if you do need to remove asbestos from your home, you should contact your local authority environmental health department for advice.

What other organisations are involved?

The Health and Safety Executive ensures that workplaces follow their legal responsibility to safeguard employees against asbestos exposure, and is also responsible for the licensing of contractors who work with asbestos. It can prosecute those who do not follow the laws on asbestos management.

It also has a series of webpages offering advice and information on asbestos, which can be found at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos/index.htm link to external website - opens in new window

Local Authority Environmental Health Departments can be contacted for advice on managing asbestos. They should also be contacted if you suspect that someone has been illegally fly tipping asbestos.