If your home is more than 10 years old then most likely you will have items in and around it that contain asbestos. Asbestos was commonly used in building materials between the 1940s and the late 1980s. It was used because it is fire resistant, durable and an efficient insulating material. Now that we are aware of the health risks, it is no longer mined in Australia since the beginning of 2004, it is no longer imported or used in any Australian products.
Asbestos only poses a risk to health when asbestos fibres are breathed in. The presence of asbestos in home building materials generally does not pose a health risk unless the material is broken, deteriorating or disturbed in such a way that airborne asbestos fibres are produced. There is the potential for this to occur when asbestos-containing material is broken, or when it is being drilled, sanded or cut with a power tool.
When working on or handling asbestos products, householders should follow the precautions outlined in this fact sheet. These precautions are designed to reduce the risk to householders to a very low level.
It is difficult to tell whether a building material contains asbestos, and the only way to be certain is to have a sample of the material tested by an accredited laboratory contact us to have the suspect item tested. If the material is not tested, it should be treated as though it contains asbestos.
Please see below diagram to assist where you may have asbestos products in your home!