Asbestos

Cracks are apearing all over in my flat and I just phoned council and she said she needed to email someone to come to my flat asap to check to make sure no asbestos is in my flat when I first moved in there was asbestos so I had to move out for 24hrs while 10 men stayed at my flat and had to clean everything but they took my telly my cushions curtains ect lots of things really what is asbestos and why is it so dangerous im just hoping I dont have to get all sorts took off me again I will be devestated take care all xxxxx

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Kerry-Anne,

I don't really know much about Asbestos but have just googled it and basically what I found was that it was used in building in the late 1800's and early 1900's (was your flat built around this time?). Since 1980 it has been banned because it is known to be toxic. It can cause serious lung diseases such as lung cancer and asbestositis - *googles it!* 'Asbestosis is a chronic inflammatory medical condition affecting the parenchymal tissue of the lungs.' (?)

If they do find asbestos in your flat, it's most likely to be in the walls and it should be removed, not simply cleaned!

Hope that helps, like I said I just googled it!

Rachel xx.

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hi Kerry, asbestos comes in many forms and actually 3 colours, I know i've worked with it. the safe(er) form is usually found as roof sheets, or slates and providing its not smashed is normally very low risk. The soft powedery type, usually used for insulation is found inside buildings around heating pipes, old storage heaters, some types of insulation and chimneys as insulation, sealing around heating appliances, and this is certainly to be avoided as it's light and easily breathed in.

As for the colours, most is white, and has a lower risk, but still don't take chances as it's still bad, blue is the more dangerous version, not usually seen, and then brown, which i've never come across, and not sure where that comes, or used for.

All this talk of asbestos being banned is actually rubbish, i've seen slates for sale that contain it, as they come with a warning label, and brake pads for cars etc can still contain asbestos.

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Talk of asbestos being banned is most certainly NOT rubbish. The Health and Safety Executive passed the ""Control of Asbestos Regulations"" in 2006 which prohibits the importation, sale and use of all asbestos-containing products.

Details here:

hse.gov.uk/asbestos/regulat...

The use of second-hand tiles and boards containing asbestos is also banned under these regulations.

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I have just phoned council back cause noone has been in touch and she said it is not classed as urgent I told her it should be classed as urgent because I and anyone comming to my flat could be breathing asbestos in and she just said its not urgent and somone will be in touch in the near future I they allowed to just leave it that long I even said I have brittle asthma and dont want that made anyworse or am I just panicing for no reason????? take care xxx

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There's no need to worry. If you've already been booted out of your flat whilst they dealt with asbestos then it's safe to say that there's none left, or at least any that is left has been ""made safe"".

Remember that when you phoned the council they said that they'd have to check to see if there was asbestos, and not that there definitely *was* asbestos.

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Thankyou peaksteve can stop panicking now take care x

[KateMoss]

... awaiting an asbestos inpection this AM! LOL

It is only a real problem when you start messing with it, like ripping it out or drilling into it.

They whipped out an asbestos water tank in november with no probs, fortunately they could get it out whole otheriwie it would have been the hazard squad in suits.

Painting over it in emulsion also helps keep it solid. Any property with it in, such as tanks or sheets should have a yellow sticker on it to allert you to the fact it is there... but stable.

It is still around in Aertex ceilings, (Crysotile spp?) and also old marley tiles too.

Anywere there is a heat sourse such as the back of your boiler.

Anyway, as long as it isn't damaged there is no problem.

There are also board like pannels that look like asbestos which aren't.

Kate

PS I think my shed has an asbestos corrugated roof but I am not going to wreck it anyway.