Asbestos Question.

[Terence McCann]

When (year) did they stop using asbestos in homes?

More to the point, I know that some 1x1 ceiling tiles, the kind you would find in a basement rec room contained them (or the adhesive).

I'm thinking 58-59, no later than 60?

Thanks in advance.

[hausdok]

Hi Terry,

I don't think they ever really stopped - at least not in many of the products imported from Canada. There were some US companies that voluntarily stopped using it, but a lot of others who just kept on trucking. Well, let me rephrase that, maybe for a little while between '88 and '92 while the asbestos industry was appealing an EPA ruling or some such production was halted, but as soon as that ban was overturned I thought they started right back up again.

I'll have to look that up. (Danged brain webs are clogging up the memory cells again.)

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[Terence McCann]

I'll be damned. I didn't know that we could import asbestos material from Canada, I truly thought that all asbestos was illegal here.

[hausdok]

Nope,

They tried to make it illegal and the asbestos industry fought it really hard. About 4 years after they tried to ban it the ban was lifted. After dinner, I'll see what I can find.

OT - OF!!!

M.

[Gerry Beaumont]

hi to all,

Asbestos started to be banned from most residential building products in the 1970's specifically:

- 1973 NESHAP, banned for fireproofing/insulating

- 1978 NESHAP, banned for "decorative" purposes

Here is a link to the EPA pdf file that covers the regulations and dates of enforcement etc:

http://www.epa.gov/asbestos/asb-bans2.pdf

while Mike is basically correct, about the bans having been challenged in court, most manufacturers of residential products had during the 1970's to find alternatives the using asbestos in all products, and never went back to using asbestos even when some of the restrictions had been lifted. funnily enough after all the bad press that asbestos got manufacturers found it hard to sell any product that included asbestos (I wonder why []). I teach my classes that effectively asbestos was banned by 1978 and that any home biult after 1980 should have no asbestos content at all.

regards

Gerry

[Terence McCann]

Ok guys, thanks. Back to ceiling tile question, was asbestos used often in the manufacturing of these 1x1 tiles?

[Scottpat]

Yes, it is possible that they could contain asbestos fibers. You don't know until you have them tested.

[hausdok]

Hi,

Here're a few links with more information about asbestos or asbestos in building materials. The first is a link to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer's search results for asbestos. The P-I has been obsessed with asbestos for about 4-5 years and is beating it to death. You should be able to find all that you need here.

Seattle P-I stories

Asbestos in Building Materials Link #1

Asbestos in Building Materials Link #2

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[Jim Katen]

Originally posted by Terence McCann

Ok guys, thanks. Back to ceiling tile question, was asbestos used often in the manufacturing of these 1x1 tiles?

If you're talking about Firtex tiles, (light brown, fiberous tiles that come painted white on the "show" side and interlock with tongue & groove joints on all sides) I've never heard that they contain asbestos.

Most that I see were stapled in place rather than stuck on with mastic (I know this cause some are usually falling off). However pre-1980s mastics were famous for having asbestos in them.

Anyway, it's easy enough to have this stuff tested. For $25 your clients can find out for sure.

- Jim Katen, Oregon

[Terence McCann]

Thanks again all, last question....

On older homes, where asbestos is suspected, do you point out areas that *might* contain asbestos?

Mr. Purchaser, floor tiles of this era were likely manufactured with asbestos material, suggest testing, or, fine if left alone but if remodel is in the future test?

I guess that would get into a whole discussion on where to start and where to stop. Lead paint possibility etc. As pointed out before in other discussions, if you move one piece of furniture to look at something why not all? Light the pilot on hot water tank, why not the furnace kind of thing.

On a side note, just picked up my first pair of bi-focals. Really hard to get use to. How the age creeps up, I'm pretty sure it was yesterday that my father and I were tossing around a baseball in the backyard.

[Scottpat]

I seldom make note of it in my reports. My inspection agreement and report both state that I am not on an asbestos hunt. If I find it wrapped around the HVAC ducts, sheets of transite in furnace or utility rooms/closets I will make a note of it and tell them that this is suspect and if they want to find out it needs to be tested. But as for reporting all of the possible building products in a home that could contain it; No I do not.

[Les]

I agree with Scott's method. If you really want to go hunting, you will, for sure, find something you were not looking for. There has to be a happy medium and most of us are only there to visiably observe and report.

[Tom Barber]

Gerry, I hate to burst your bubble but I built my own home in 1990 and I purchased stanless steel wood stove pipe that was packed with Asbestos. I had to repalce a piece that had worn out about 2 years ago. All of this was purchased in Northern VA from a local supplier that bought it from Canada.

Tom Barber in VA

[mcramer]

Originally posted by Terence McCann

When (year) did they stop using asbestos in homes?

More to the point, I know that some 1x1 ceiling tiles, the kind you would find in a basement rec room contained them (or the adhesive).

I'm thinking 58-59, no later than 60?

Thanks in advance.

Something like 40 tons of asbestos come into the country every year in products imported from other countries. If it isn't glass, metal, plastic or wood, it could contain asbestos.

[Gerry Beaumont]

Hi Tom,

I did not concider that my bubble had been "burst" the typical asbestos product is in fact a combination name for a group of related minerals and in particular fall into 2 main categories asbestiform tremolite and non-asbestiform tremolite, the later of which is not concidered by the EPA to be a health risk and this is the variant that is used in current asbestos based products, including some replacement flues.

the other more dangerous form of asbestiform tremolite is still banned as it was in 1978.

Regards

Gerry

[dlrice]

Originally posted by hausdok

Hi,

Here're a few links with more information about asbestos or asbestos in building materials. The first is a link to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer's search results for asbestos. The P-I has been obsessed with asbestos for about 4-5 years and is beating it to death. You should be able to find all that you need here.

Seattle P-I stories

Asbestos in Building Materials Link #1

Asbestos in Building Materials Link #2

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[hausdok]

So, Ms. Rice,

Did you want to comment on my comment? I'm not sure why you're replying to me with a quote.

OT - OF!!!

M.

[Jesse]

Originally posted by hausdok

So, Ms. Rice,

Did you want to comment on my comment? I'm not sure why you're replying to me with a quote.

OT - OF!!!

M.

[hausdok]

Hey guys,

The idea is that, once you click reply with quote, you insert your comment in the composition box, either above or below the quote, and then you click 'submit reply' and I'll be able to see your comments.

OT - OF!!!

M.

[Jesse]

Originally posted by hausdok

Hey guys,

The idea is that, once you click reply with quote, you insert your comment in the composition box, either above or below the quote, and then you click 'submit reply' and I'll be able to see your comments.

OT - OF!!!

M.

Mine was a joke, Mike.

[hausdok]

Oooookay, swell.

OT - OF!!!

M. [:-sonar]

[shane the builder]

Hey Terry Mike is right about Canada exporting Asbestos. We are not allowed to use it in domestic products and there is a huge push to remove it from all our buildings. Even so we still produce it and ship huge amounts to developing countries.

The real twist is that asbestos was banned from insulation and other domestic construction products in 1972. So Canadian producers shipped it south, where it was added to fire guard drywall and sold back to us as a safe product. We are now finding asbestos in drywall products installed as late as 2001.

It's embarrassing as a Canadian to know our government is still promoting the sale of Asbestos especially to poorer nations where worker safety is not assured. Every time I have to tell a customer they are going to have to fork out huge wads of cash to have their drywall removed by a certified hazardous waste removal company. I shake my head and tell them our elected politicians think it's a safe product.

[Terence McCann]

Originally posted by shane the builder

I shake my head and tell them our elected politicians think it's a safe product.

Just not in their house though.