Actually, all asbestos is harmful.PetrolDave wrote:ONLY brown asbestos is harmful, but our "powers that be" are too stupid to be able to distinguish between them, so they have labelled (incorrectly) all forms of asbestos as harmful.
Blue asbestos is also harmful and so is white asbestos if inhaled in sufficient quantity. Therefore all asbestos is harmful.
Asbestos is a fantastic insulating material, and is only not used now in products due to the effects on health.
There is no problem using asbestos products even today if discovered, unless the material is fiable/unstable. The products needs to be removed by a licensed contractor (unless it's white asbestos), and taken to a licensed site as hazardous waste material.
If removing asbestos it should be sprayed with a sealant and placed in as large a piece as possible into sealable bags, thereby limiting the amount of material that becomes airborne. Cutting the material should be avoided at all costs, due to the risk of material becoming airborne and inhaled, which is where the harm to life affects most.
Affects the lungs in a similar way that coal dust affected miners.
