ASBESTOS TYPES

Asbestos is a natural mineral compound found in rock formations worldwide. It is the only fibrous mineral; inert, non-conductive, malleable, odorless and fire resistant. Because of its valuable and unique properties, asbestos has been used in a wide variety of applications since ancient times. Prevalent use of asbestos began with the Industrial Age and continued through most of the 20th century in more than 2,000 industrial, commercial and consumer products and applications.

Six distinct types of asbestos are known: actinolite, amosite, anthophyllite, chrysotile, crocidolite and tremolite. Today, no asbestos type is considered safe for humans exposed to high concentrations in an airborne environment or exposure over extended periods of time. Some forms of asbestos are hazardous even in small quantities or limited exposure. Asbestos can cause mesothelioma, a deadly form of lung cancer; asbestosis and possibly other cancers and debilitating pulmonary diseases.

Actinolite
Actinolite asbestos was used in limited industrial applications but appears to account for less than 5% of asbestos use. Actinolite fibers are among the most hazardous: the razor-sharp fibers are friable, easily inhaled and can be lethal. Actinolite can cause asbestosis and mesothelioma.

Amosite
Mined in Africa, amosite is brown asbestos, used in limited industrial and construction applications for many years. The needle pointed fibers of amosite are friable, easily inhaled and hazardous.

Anthophyllite
Use of anthophyllite was very rare except as an additive to certain hard-surface flooring and paneling products. Anthophyllite is dangerous but there are few reported cases of human injury because of long-term exposure to high concentrations because of limited use.

Chrysotile
The most common asbestos mined for commercial and industrial use, chrysotile asbestos is also considered the least hazardous form of asbestos because its thick, curled fibers are not easily inhaled and do not penetrate lung tissue as readily as narrow, pointed fibers. Known as white asbestos, chrysotile was used in hundreds of diverse applications in industry, commercial and consumer applications, both as a primary product component and a supplement to other materials. Almost all of the limited and highly regulated applications of asbestos still permitted by law in the U. S. specify the use of chrysotile asbestos to the exclusion of all others. While it is clearly the safest type of asbestos, chrysotile still poses health risks to humans exposed to very high concentrations or for extended periods.

Crocidolite
Crocidolite asbestos is known as blue asbestos, mined in Africa and Australia. Use of crocidolite was fairly extensive in industrial applications from @ 1920-1970. Composed of very thin, straight, sharp-edged fibers, crocidolite is friable and very dangerous, capable of harmful penetration of lung tissue even in relatively small amounts.

Tremolite
Tremolite asbestos is a rare form of asbestos, never mined or used in widespread commercial or industrial applications. For a brief period in the mid-20th century, tremolite was found as a small-percentage additive to some consumer products. The dense, straight fibers are not as hazardous as some of the more toxic forms of asbestos but they are far from harmless.