What is Asbestos?
Is it an organism? Is it a curse? Is it a medical condition? Is it fancy termites? What is the big deal?
I thought I had a good grasp on the idea of Asbestos. For whatever reason, I was under the impression that asbestos is a wood infesting organism such as the termite. I was oddly relieved and concerned at the same time to know that many others on google are also just as confused. Whilst researching this topic I came across many search options for Asbestos.
I found that there were search predictions questioning it’s appearance, it’s functionality and most importantly it’s impact on the surrounding environment.
There is an array of information on asbestos online but I found that most lacked clarity in their explanation. I found it difficult to comprehend the concept because I was unaware of it’s appearance, functionality or even it’s existence until a few years ago.
Fortunately the QLD government cleared that up. Asbestos is in fact a fire resistant mineral used as a building material. It was extensively used for 40 years until the 1980 and was later banned in 2003 due to the health risks it imposes.
What is it made of?
Matt Mauney goes into great detail about the minerals in and their properties in his blog. He also provides clear and concise information on the topic.
What does it look like?
It can be found in sheets and fibres.
Where can it be found?
Photos from Matt Mauney’s blog show all the possible locations in a house.
It’s Impact on your health?
Lets not get worked up and self diagnose. Please see your GP if you have any concerns.
Now that we’ve cleared up what exactly is asbestos, let’s talk about why it’s an alarming topic among the Canberra community. For the reason that it was extensively used in the past, many of Canberra’s older properties have been found with asbestos. So please call your trusted team at Employ Me Labour Hire to get an inspection or to find out more.
In conclusion, we have established that it is in fact a building material. No, it’s not an organism. No, it’s not a curse. No, it’s not a medical condition but it can be harmful to your health. Lastly, no it is not fancy termites. However, it is a big deal because it can go undetected and can be harmful in the long run.
Watch this space for more blogs about similar topics.