Asbestos is a super neat, naturally occurring silicate compound. It absorbs sound, it’s stretchy, and it’s resistant to both fire and damage from electricity and chemicals. It’s also quite affordable. Humans began mining asbestos over 4000 years ago, and in the 19th century, it became very popular as a construction material. However, as we became
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Do you think you don’t have to worry about asbestos because your building is brand new? According to the Globe and Mail asbestos pipes are still being installed in new condos, apartments, and even hospitals across Canada. “It is unclear how many asbestos-cement pipes are being installed in Toronto and other cities, and there appear
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In the 11th century, monks at the Enkleistra St. Neophytos monastery in Cyprus added white asbestos to the plaster behind their religious paintings, presumably to enhance the colour of the red paint they used, and this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to asbestos history. People have recognized the remarkable properties
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If you live in a home that was built in the last 10 or 20 years you don’t need to be concerned that it might contain asbestos. However, if you own home that was built prior to the 1990’s, there’s a very good possibility that it contains asbestos in some of the materials used in
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We hear a lot about the dangers of asbestos in our homes and asbestos abatement is a billion dollar industry. While we focus mainly on the negative aspects of asbestos, it’s still a fascinating material. Here are ten interesting facts about asbestos that you might not have known about. The word asbestos is derived from
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We’re all familiar with the common places to find asbestos, like flooring, insulation, and popcorn ceilings, but asbestos can sometimes be found in shocking locations. “Many victims of mesothelioma are exposed to asbestos in uncommon ways.” Says Cappolino Dodd Krebs LLP. in an article that goes on to list some of the strangest places to
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Asbestos is a serious issue that affects many people. Understanding the health risks associated with this mineral is very important, but it’s also good to know what asbestos is, where it was most commonly used, and how to protect yourself from asbestos exposure. The Asbestos Exposure Risk Sheet can give you all of this information
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Asbestos is an amazing mineral. It’s highly heat resistant, doesn’t break down under attack from most chemicals, and the fibres are very strong. It pulls apart into hair-like fibres. It’s been recognized and used for its ability to resist heat for thousands of years. Unfortunately, it can also be very dangerous if its fibres are
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Have you ever wondered if your home contains asbestos? Most homeowners don’t. They assume that asbestos was only used in commercial buildings, factories, and institutions like schools and hospitals with miles of hot water piping and heating ducts. Up until relatively recently, asbestos was used in many building materials that were used in residential home
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If you have a home that was built before 1986 and you are planning to do a renovation, it’s probably a good idea to have the building materials tested for asbestos. Before its use in Canada was banned in the early 1980’s, asbestos was added to many commonly used building materials. Stockpiled building supplies that
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