3 facts about asbestos

Typical locations:

• attics, basements.

Other sites:

• Sealing off openings in walls, with fire protection requirements (F30-F90 walls)
• Fire protection sheathing of ventilation ducts, cable ducts and cable shafts
• Fire barriers in walls with fire protection requirements (fire dampers, fire protection closures)
• Fire protection jackets
• Smoke extraction ducts
• Insert in fire protection doors and gates
• Substructure of luminaires

Material properties:

• Lightweight panels containing asbestos under fluorescent tubes are a weakly bonded asbestos product.
• From weakly bound asbestos products in buildings, very large quantities of asbestos fibres can be released into the air in the room as a result of ageing and external influences such as air movement, vibrations, temperature changes and mechanical damage.

Asbestos content:

• approx. 15% chrysotile and approx. 15% amosite, for products from the former GDR up to 47% chrysotile

Typical locations:

• all premises
• Asbestos boards and lightweight panels containing asbestos as insulation
• Cable ducts made of asbestos-cement plates

Material properties:

• Switch and electrical insulations containing asbestos are a weakly bonded asbestos product.
• From weakly bound asbestos products in buildings, very large quantities of asbestos fibres can be released into the air through ageing and external influences such as air movement, vibrations, temperature changes and mechanical damage.

Asbestos content:

• up to 100% chrysotile

Typical locations:

• House facade

Other sites of flat asbestos-cement plates:

• Roof coverings
• Parapet elements
• Window sills, balcony panelling
• Steps
• Partition walls
• Support for cable trays

Material properties:

• Facade covers made of asbestos cement, asbestos cement, asbestos asbestos slate are a firmly bonded asbestos product
• In the case of firmly bonded asbestos products, it is assumed that without mechanical stress or severe weathering of the material, there is no or only a low fibre release potential.

Asbestos content:

• 10-12 % chrysotile, with some manufacturers occasionally additionally up to 5 % crocidolite and/or amosite

Typical locations:

• roofs of houses, sheds, garages, as façade cladding

Material properties:

• Coverings made of roofing felt, tar paper, bitumen sheeting are a firmly bonded asbestos product
• In the case of firmly bonded asbestos products, it is assumed that without mechanical stress or severe weathering of the material, there is no or only a low fibre release potential.

Asbestos content:

• up to 5 % chrysotile

Spray asbestos, asbestos cushions & clothsTypical sites:

• storehouses, cellars. Here:
• profile-following fire protection coating of steel constructions
• coating of ceilings and walls in music halls, theatres, churches, garages, technical rooms (for sound insulation)
• Sealing of openings for cable, pipe and duct penetrations through walls with fire protection requirements
• Sheathing of ventilation ducts

Material properties:

• Fire protection with asbestos cushions and cloths and spray asbestos is a weakly bound asbestos product.
• Weakly bound asbestos products in buildings can release very large quantities of asbestos fibres into the ambient air as a result of ageing and external influences such as air movement, vibrations, temperature changes and mechanical damage.

Asbestos content:

• 40-70 % asbestos from chrysotile, crocidolite or amosite, also together

Typical locations:

• Attic, wall and ceiling insulation in other rooms

Material properties:

• Even air conditioning can release mineral fibres.
• Recognized health risk possible with 'old mineral wool' with installation date before 06-2000

Further information about mineral wool on our homepage

Analysis possibilities for 'old mineral wool' or those with unknown production date

• Testing for respirable WHO fibres
• Determination of the carcinogenicity index, CI

Typical locations:

roof, shed, garage

Other sites of flat asbestos-cement plates:

• Facades
• Parapet elements
• Window sills, balcony panelling
• Steps
• Partition walls
• Support for cable trays

Material properties:

Roof coverings made of asbestos cement, asbestos cement, asbestos asbestos slate are a firmly bonded asbestos product

In the case of firmly bonded asbestos products, it is assumed that without mechanical stress or severe weathering of the material, there is no or only a low fibre release potential.

Asbestos content:

10-12 % chrysotile, with some manufacturers occasionally additionally up to 5 % crocidolite and/or amosite

Typical locations:

• Roof, window and facade sealing

Material properties:

• Sealing compounds for filling joints and butt joints, elastic bonding
• Grey-blue asbestos fibre foams
• Sealing joints containing asbestos are a firmly bonded asbestos product
• In the case of firmly bonded asbestos products, it is assumed that without mechanical stress or severe weathering of the material, there is no or only a low fibre release potential.

Asbestos content:

• up to 20 %.

Typical locations:

• windows, doors

Material properties:

• In a heavily weathered, brittle state, there is a considerable potential for fibre release.

Asbestos content:

• up to 4 % chryotil

Typical locations:

• all premises.

Lightweight panels containing asbestos are still found in

• Lightweight walls
• Sealing off openings in walls, with fire protection requirements (F30-F90 walls)
• Fire protection sheathing of ventilation ducts, cable ducts and cable shafts
• Fire barriers in walls with fire protection requirements (fire dampers, fire protection closures)
• Fire protection jackets
• Smoke extraction ducts
• Insert in fire protection doors and gates
• Substructure of luminaires

Material properties:

• Asbestos-containing lightweight boards under windowsills are a weakly bonded asbestos product.
• From weakly bound asbestos products in buildings, very large quantities of asbestos fibres can be released into the air in rooms through ageing and external influences, such as air movement, vibrations, temperature changes and mechanical damage.

Asbestos content:

• approx. 15% chrysotile and approx. 15% amosite, for products from the former GDR up to 47% chrysotile

Typical locations:

• All premises. Here
• Lightweight walls
• Sealing off openings in walls, with fire protection requirements (F30-F90 walls)
• Fire protection sheathing of ventilation ducts, cable ducts and cable shafts
• Fire barriers in walls with fire protection requirements (fire dampers, fire protection closures)
• Fire protection jackets
• Smoke extraction ducts
• Insert in fire protection doors and gates
• Substructure of luminaires

Material properties:

Lightweight panels containing asbestos are a weakly bonded asbestos product.

From weakly bound asbestos products in buildings, very large quantities of asbestos fibres can be released into the air through ageing and external influences such as air movement, vibrations, temperature changes and mechanical damage.

Asbestos content:

approx. 15% chrysotile and approx. 15% amosite, for products from the former GDR up to 47% chrysotile

Typical locations:

• All rooms, ceilings and walls. Fillers especially on
• Grouting of precast concrete elements
• Sealing of movement joints
• Pipe penetrations through walls and ceilings
• Joints of lightweight boards

Material properties:

• Plaster and fillers, plasterboard filler is a firmly bound asbestos product
• In the case of firmly bonded asbestos products, it is assumed that without mechanical stress or severe weathering of the material, there is no or only a low fibre release potential.
• Nevertheless, there is a high potential for fibre release during activities such as drilling, milling, grinding ...

asbestos content:

• up to 20 % chrysotile, occasionally anthophyllite

Typical locations:

• All tiled areas in bathroom, kitchen, cellar, but also floors

Material properties:

• Mineral tile adhesives & grouts containing asbestos are usually a firmly bonded asbestos product
• In the case of firmly bonded asbestos products, it is assumed that without mechanical stress or severe weathering of the material, there is no or only a low fibre release potential.
• Nevertheless, there is a high potential for fibre release during activities such as drilling, milling, grinding ...

asbestos content:

• up to 5 % chrysotile

Typical locations of sealing cord and asbestos tissues:

• attics, basements. Here:
• Seals or sealing strips on lightweight construction walls with fire protection requirements (on ceilings, floors, element joints, wall endings)
• Seals at pipe-duct penetrations through walls and ceilings
• Seals between flanges of ventilation ducts
• Seals on fire protection glazing, shelter doors, chimney cleaning doors
• Seals and insulation on heat generation plants, hot pipes and fittings
• Lining of pipe clamps for hot water, steam and sprinkler pipes

Material properties:

• This is a weakly bonded asbestos product.
• From weakly bound asbestos products in buildings, very large quantities of asbestos fibres can be released into the ambient air as a result of ageing and external influences such as air movement, vibrations, temperature changes and mechanical damage.

Asbestos content:

• mainly chrysotile (80-100 %); for acid-resistant applications crocidolite

Typical locations:

• Window sills in interior and exterior areas

Other sites of flat asbestos-cement plates:

• roller shutter boxes
• Roof coverings
• Parapet elements
• Steps
• Partition walls
• Support for cable trays

Material properties:

• Flower boxes, window sills, balcony panelling made of asbestos cement is a firmly bonded asbestos product
• In the case of firmly bonded asbestos products, it is assumed that without mechanical stress or severe weathering of the material, there is no or only a low fibre release potential.

Asbestos content:

• 10-12 % chrysotile, with some manufacturers occasionally additionally up to 5 % crocidolite and/or amosite

Typical locations:

• Colour coating of housing plates
• Colour coating of fire protection doors, room dividers
• Corrosion protection coatings

Material properties:

• Paints, varnishes & coatings are usually a firmly bonded asbestos product
• In the case of firmly bonded asbestos products, it is assumed that without mechanical stress or severe weathering of the material, there is no or only a low fibre release potential.

Asbestos content:

• up to approx. 5 % chrysotile, anthophyllite, tremolite

Typical locations:

• In large numbers and variety in bathrooms predominantly frequented by ladies of all ages

Material properties:

• Insulation in hair dryers can be asbestos board, a weakly bonded asbestos product.
• From weakly bound asbestos products in buildings, very large quantities of asbestos fibres can be released into the room air as a result of ageing and external influences such as air movements, vibrations, temperature changes and mechanical damage.

Asbestos content:

• up to 100% chrysotile

Typical locations:

• All premises

Material properties:

• Screeds and levelling compounds containing asbestos are usually a firmly bonded asbestos product
• In the case of firmly bonded asbestos products, it is assumed that without mechanical stress or severe weathering of the material, there is no or only a low fibre release potential.

Asbestos content:

• 0 - 5 % chrysotile

Typical locations:

• floor coverings in all living areas
• older coverings hidden under carpeting or parquet/laminate

Material properties:

• Square, grey, beige or brown tiles, often mottled with a smooth surface
• Even the black bituminous adhesive may contain asbestos
• Asbestos may also be present in asphalt tiles and linoleum (Stragula) floors
• Floorflex board, PVC coverings + bituminous adhesives are a firmly bonded asbestos product
• In the case of firmly bonded asbestos products, it is assumed that without mechanical stress or severe weathering of the material, there is no or only a low fibre release potential.

Asbestos content:

• 10-12 % chrysotile, with some manufacturers occasionally additionally up to 5 % crocidolite and/or amosite

Typical locations:

• floor coverings in all living areas
• older coverings hidden under carpeting or parquet/laminate

Material properties:

• PVC sheet material
• coated on the underside with white or light grey, one millimetre thick asbestos cardboard
• Multilayer floor coverings containing asbestos (cushion vinyl) are a weakly bonded asbestos product.
• Weakly bound asbestos products in buildings can release very large quantities of asbestos fibres into the air due to ageing and external influences such as air movement, vibrations, temperature changes and mechanical damage.

Asbestos content:

• Rot-proof carrier layer as underside 80-100 % chrysotile

Typical locations:

• Various electrical appliances such as toaster, iron and ironing board cover, hot plate, stove, hair dryer and curling iron, electric grill, waffle iron, ...

Material properties:

• Insulation in electrical appliances can be asbestos board, a weakly bonded asbestos product.
• Very large quantities of asbestos fibres can be released from weakly bonded asbestos products into the air due to ageing and external influences such as air movement, vibrations, temperature changes and mechanical damage.

Asbestos content:

• up to 100% chrysotile

Typical locations:

You may not believe it, but thermos flasks, preferably cheap imports from the Far East, can also contain asbestos.

E.g. in handle insulation or small spacers between the double-walled, insulating glass flask

Material properties:

• Insulation in thermos flasks can be a weakly bonded asbestos product.
• Very large quantities of asbestos fibres can be released from weakly bonded asbestos products into the ambient air as a result of ageing and external influences such as air movement, vibrations, temperature changes and mechanical damage.

Asbestos content:

• up to 100% chrysotile

Typical locations:

• Ceilings
• lightweight panels containing asbestos

Material properties:

• Ceiling panels containing asbestos are a weakly bonded asbestos product.
• From weakly bound asbestos products in buildings, very large quantities of asbestos fibres can be released into the room air through ageing and external influences, such as air movement, vibrations, temperature changes and mechanical damage.

Fibre content:

• up to approx. 30 % chrysotile + amosite

Typical locations:

• Ceiling panels as sound or heat insulation

Material properties:

• Even air circulation can release mineral fibres.
• Recognized health risk possible with 'old mineral wool' with installation date before 06-2000

Further information about mineral wool on our homepage

Analysis possibilities for 'old mineral wool' or those with unknown production date:

• Testing for respirable WHO fibres
• Determination of the carcinogenicity index, AI

Typical locations:

• all premises
• Asbestos boards and lightweight panels containing asbestos as insulation

Material properties:

• The materials used in fire doors are a weakly bound asbestos product.
• From weakly bound asbestos products in buildings, very large quantities of asbestos fibres can be released into the room air as a result of ageing and external influences such as air movements, vibrations, temperature changes and mechanical damage.

Asbestos content:

• up to 100% chrysotile

Typical locations:

• electrical cabinets, fuse boxes
• Asbestos-cement mounting plates for switchgear
• Asbestos-cement plates for rear walls or steel frame fillings of electrical cabinets
• panels containing asbestos as cable ducts
• Asbestos boards

Material properties:

• The contents of electrical cabinets and fuse boxes can be solid or weakly bound asbestos products.
• From weakly bound asbestos products in buildings, very large quantities of asbestos fibres can be released into the ambient air as a result of ageing and external influences such as air movement, vibrations, temperature changes and mechanical damage.

Asbestos content:

• up to 100% chrysotile

Typical locations:

• heating systems
• lightweight panels containing asbestos as boiler insulation, bonded as heat shields and anti-drumming battens of sheet metal claddings
• Asbestos boards

Material properties:

• Insulation of boilers and water heaters is a weakly bonded asbestos product.
• From weakly bound asbestos products in buildings, very large quantities of asbestos fibres can be released into the air in the room as a result of ageing and external influences such as air movement, vibrations, temperature changes and mechanical damage.

Asbestos content:

• up to 100% chrysotile

Typical locations:

• cellar-, heating rooms
• Coatings of brownish asbestos clays and gypsum

Material properties:

• Sheathing of heating pipes is a weakly bonded asbestos product.
• Weakly bound asbestos products in buildings can release very large quantities of asbestos fibres into the air due to ageing and external influences such as air movement, vibrations, temperature changes and mechanical damage.

Asbestos content

• Not more than 10 % Crysotile, amosite

Typical locations:

• all premises

Material properties:

• Asbestos boards as insulation
• Asbestos-containing masses as core bearing blocks
• Materials containing asbestos in night storage heaters are asbestos products that are weakly bound.
• From weakly bound asbestos products in buildings, very large quantities of asbestos fibres can be released into the air in the room as a result of ageing and external influences such as air movement, vibrations, temperature changes and mechanical damage.

Asbestos content:

• up to 100% chrysotile

Typical locations:

• cellar rooms, outdoor area
• Drinking water and sewage pipes
• Installation pipes
• Supply and exhaust air ducts
• Cable ducts

Material properties:

• Asbestos cement pipes are a firmly bonded asbestos product
• In the case of firmly bonded asbestos products, it is assumed that without mechanical stress or severe exposure of the material to weathering, there is no or only a low potential for fibre release.

Asbestos content:

• 10-15 % chrysotile, with some manufacturers occasionally additionally up to 5 % crocidolite and/or amosite

Typical locations:

• Attic, wall and ceiling insulation in other rooms

Material properties:

• Even air circulation can release mineral fibres.
• Recognized health risk possible with 'old mineral wool' with installation date before 06-2000

Further information about mineral wool on our homepage

Analysis possibilities for 'old mineral wool' or those with unknown production date:

• Testing for respirable WHO fibres
• Determination of the carcinogenicity index, CI

Typical locations:

cellar, shed

Material properties:

Magnesite screeds containing asbestos are usually a firmly bonded asbestos product
In the case of firmly bonded asbestos products, it is assumed that without mechanical stress or severe weathering of the material, there is no or only a low fibre release potential.

Asbestos content:

0 - 5 % chrysotile