Does Concrete Guttering Contain Asbestos

The concrete was found to contain between 2 and 10 asbestos by weight and the construction company was required to comply with osha methods for removal.

Does concrete guttering contain asbestos.

Asbestos was widely used in cement based products for seven decades until federal regulators like the environmental protection agency epa and the occupational safety health administration osha took steps to ban asbestos containing materials acms. Asbestos guttering also known as asbestos cement guttering is often present in asbestos cement roofs. Fibro cement materials that were made and put in place prior to the early 2000s may contain asbestos. Brick or breeze block and mortar.

The following materials do not contain asbestos. Inhaling or ingesting these airborne fibers puts workers at risk of developing asbestos related diseases like meso thelioma. Sadly there are many products that still contain asbestos used every day across the nation. The epa ban did not cover all products and still allows some products like insulation to contain as much as 1 asbestos.

When embedded in an intact surface or structure made from concrete asbestos is essentially harmless. Most furnishings and fabrics but see equipment above. Asbestos cement pipes for storm water down pipes irrigation sewage and drinking water. Although asbestos fibers are sealed within the concrete chipping or breaking asbestos containing concrete could release these fibers into the air.

Asbestos cement guttering down pipes roof ridges fascias and cover stripping. But for the most part asbestos is generally thought of as a thing of the past banned by the epa and therefore no longer a problem. That s because the fibers remain locked in place and cannot travel through the air. However the situation changes when a repair removal or modification job calls for the cutting of asbestos impregnated concrete.

The guttering is located at the eaves of the roof pitch in industrial and warehouse properties. Asbestos cement gutters suffer from a number of common faults such as leaks cracks and the build up of debris that can escalate if left unattended over time so routine maintenance is important.