Back in the 1960s-80s, asbestos was a popular material for construction projects because it offered several advantages: it was cheap, strong, heat-resistant, and incombustible.
It wasn’t until the late 1990s that people came around to the various health risks associated with it. That’s when it started to gradually decline in popularity.
Many countries, including Canada have even banned asbestos. However, some buildings contain asbestos even today, particularly those with older construction. It’s essential to identify and limit your exposure to it due to health concerns.
What many people don’t know is that asbestos can be broken down into two types of building materials: friable and non-friable. While both types of materials carry risks that are harmful to human health, some key distinctions separate them both.
Let’s break them down in this article!
To put it simply, the term ‘friable’ comes from the Latin word friābilis, which means ‘to crumble.’
Friable asbestos means that it is a material that can be easily broken down. Even slight pressure from your fingers can do the trick.
Once broken, it can release asbestos fibers in the air. Exposure to these fibers over time can then lead to health problems, including asbestosis, mesothelioma, or even lung cancer.
Even though friable materials containing asbestos have been banned in Canada since 2018, it can still be found throughout buildings built or renovated before 1990. For instance, you might find friable asbestos-containing materials in the following:
Residing and working in areas with potential exposure to these substances can have an impact on your health, so awareness is essential.
Perhaps the biggest giveaway between friable vs non-friable asbestos is how crushable it is.
Contrary to its friable counterpart, non-friable asbestos building materials cannot be easily damaged.
The asbestos mineral fibers are bonded together with the substrate and is in part what makes it such a strong, resistant building material. But does that make it harmless as compared to non-friable asbestos? Well, no.
For example, plaster walls are considered to be a non-friable material. If the plaster compounds contain asbestos and are demolished or broken during renovation projects, dust is released into the air that may contain asbestos fibers.
Breathing in high concentrations of these airborne fibers over time can lead to serious health risks.
All building materials, friable or not, can deteriorate over time due to age or be damaged by weather and natural conditions.
When asbestos-containing materials are damaged or disturbed, they can release cancer-causing fibers into the air that people might breathe in.
Here are some common non-friable building materials that may contain asbestos in installed before 1990:
While many might consider asbestos-containing materials safe when undisturbed, this isn’t always true. The moment these materials get damaged, they pose significant health risks.
For instance, if your pre-1990 popcorn ceiling is damaged during a roof leak, it might be a wise move to call in an asbestos professional for an inspection or testing before any repair work is performed.
If you’re concerned about exposure to asbestos, it’s always best to call in a professional. They can ensure any sampling is performed efficiently, while guiding you through the various questions you may have.
For most, this will be their first time encountering asbestos while professionals encounter it every single day for many years. Trust in their experience to help you through this situation; it’s worth every penny!
With that said, it may be good to know how to distinguish a material between friable and non-friable. Here are a few tips to keep in mind:
You might be tempted to carry out asbestos testing on your own, but it’s not a DIY task. Laypeople are advised to avoid close contact with any products containing asbestos.
Professionals are trained to carry out such inspections more appropriately. It’s best to reach out to an expert if you suspect exposure to asbestos materials of any kind – friable or non-friable. To conclusively determine if there’s asbestos in the material, physical samples need to be taken.
This means that there’s a risk of disturbing that material and in turn, releasing fibers into the air. Trained professionals take care to ensure everything is done properly, and with as little impact to your indoor air quality as possible.
A visual inspection alone is not enough to identify asbestos fibers within a building material. Materials need to be analyzed microscopically to determine the type and concentration of asbestos present.
Professionals have the necessary tools and equipment to conduct this assessment and ensure that all samples are analyzed by an accredited laboratory specialized in asbestos analysis.
At Axxonlab, we offer comprehensive asbestos inspection and testing services. If you suspect the presence of asbestos-containing materials in your surroundings, contact us.
Our lab-approved sampling technicians will promptly arrive at your location and collect a sample for testing. Our certified inspectors will professionally conduct the sampling procedure, and our in-house laboratory services will seamlessly analyze the samples, providing you with quality data you can trust.
