What is “Asbestos”

Written By Caitlin Campbell

Asbestos is a naturally occurring material that is made up of groups of tiny minerals that have crystallised to form fibres, it does not dissolve in water, evaporate or conduct electricity, and is resistant to heat, fire, chemicals.

Asbestos fibres can be too small to be seen with the naked eye and can only be identified using an accredited laboratory.  There are several different Asbestos types but based on their chemical properties they are usually grouped into 2 sub-groups:

  • Serpentine asbestos -  (Chrysotile fibres) are soft, long, flexible and curved

  • Amphibole asbestos  - (Crocidolite, Amosite, Actinolite, Anthophyllite, Tremolite) are straight, stiff, brittle and look needle like. This is the more hazardous type.

The most common types of asbestos used were:

  • Chrysotile (white)

  • Amosite (brown)

  • Crocidolite (blue)

Asbestos is commonly found in many buildings and homes built before the 1980’s and because of its affordability and due to the strength, heat and chemical resistance asbestos was commonly used in a number of products such as:

  • Vinyl flooring

  • Textured ceilings

  • Wall joint compounds

  • HWC

  • Textiles (fabrics)

  • Gaskets

  • Electrical/Fuse boards

  • Cement sheet cladding

  • Corrugated Roofing sheets

  • Thermoplastic resins

  • Insulation

 In October 2016 it became illegal to import Asbestos containing products into New Zealand.

Caitlin Campbell
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ARCP