The Lingering Threat: Where Asbestos Still Hides in UK Buildings
Given its extensive use throughout much of the 20th century, asbestos remains a hidden hazard in many buildings across the UK. Any industrial or residential building constructed or refurbished before the year 2000 has the potential to contain asbestos-containing materials. Buildings that were built between the 1950s and the mid-1980s are considered particularly high-risk for the presence of ACMs. While properties built after 1990 are less likely to contain asbestos, and those constructed after the year 2000 should ideally be free of it, there have been instances where asbestos-containing products manufactured before the ban have been used in later constructions.
Asbestos was incorporated into a vast array of building materials. In roofing, it can be found in asbestos cement sheets and tiles, as well as roofing felt. Walls and ceilings often contain asbestos insulating board (AIB), used for fire protection and insulation in partition walls, ceiling tiles, wall linings, and bath panels. Textured coatings like Artex, commonly applied to ceilings and walls, frequently contained asbestos. Flooring is another area of concern, with vinyl floor tiles often having an asbestos backing or being bonded with asbestos-containing adhesives. Insulation around pipes and boilers, as well as loose-fill insulation in lofts, were also common applications for asbestos. Externally, asbestos can be present in cement soffits and fascias, gutters and downpipes, and exterior window panels. Other potential locations include cement products in garages and sheds, sprayed coatings on steelwork for fire protection, and even in some older appliances such as electric storage heaters, flameless gas heaters, oven gloves, and ironing boards. Brake linings in older vehicles also contained asbestos.
The continued presence of asbestos in such a wide variety of building materials, despite the ban, signifies that any work involving the disturbance of pre-2000 buildings carries an inherent risk of releasing harmful fibers. This underscores the critical importance of always assuming asbestos is present in such buildings unless a thorough survey proves otherwise. The fact that some materials, like Artex, may have ceased using asbestos even before the official ban date highlights the complexity of identification. Visual inspection alone is insufficient to confirm the absence of asbestos, and professional testing is often necessary to accurately determine if a material contains asbestos fibers.
Asbestos was incorporated into a vast array of building materials. In roofing, it can be found in asbestos cement sheets and tiles, as well as roofing felt. Walls and ceilings often contain asbestos insulating board (AIB), used for fire protection and insulation in partition walls, ceiling tiles, wall linings, and bath panels. Textured coatings like Artex, commonly applied to ceilings and walls, frequently contained asbestos. Flooring is another area of concern, with vinyl floor tiles often having an asbestos backing or being bonded with asbestos-containing adhesives. Insulation around pipes and boilers, as well as loose-fill insulation in lofts, were also common applications for asbestos. Externally, asbestos can be present in cement soffits and fascias, gutters and downpipes, and exterior window panels. Other potential locations include cement products in garages and sheds, sprayed coatings on steelwork for fire protection, and even in some older appliances such as electric storage heaters, flameless gas heaters, oven gloves, and ironing boards. Brake linings in older vehicles also contained asbestos.
The continued presence of asbestos in such a wide variety of building materials, despite the ban, signifies that any work involving the disturbance of pre-2000 buildings carries an inherent risk of releasing harmful fibers. This underscores the critical importance of always assuming asbestos is present in such buildings unless a thorough survey proves otherwise. The fact that some materials, like Artex, may have ceased using asbestos even before the official ban date highlights the complexity of identification. Visual inspection alone is insufficient to confirm the absence of asbestos, and professional testing is often necessary to accurately determine if a material contains asbestos fibers.
Asbestos Cement: Roofing sheets and tiles, pipes, gutters, soffits, fascias, wall cladding, sheds
Asbestos Insulating Board (AIB): Walls, ceilings, partitions, firebreaks, ducts, bath panels
Textured Coatings (e.g., Artex): Ceilings and walls
Vinyl Floor Tiles: Kitchens, bathrooms, hallways
Pipe Lagging: Around hot water pipes and steam pipes
Sprayed Coatings: Fire protection on steel beams, particularly in 1960s system-built flats
Loose-fill Insulation: Lofts and cavity walls
