Asbestos is the collective name for a group of naturally occurring fibrous minerals. Their properties — non-combustibility, tear and tensile strength, flexibility, elasticity and insulation — led to widespread use in industry and commerce. Numerous asbestos products were also used in homes.

Why is asbestos dangerous?

Fine asbestos fibres are invisible to the naked eye. If inhaled, their fibrous structure can cause serious diseases of the lungs, pleura or peritoneum, including lung cancer, often only after 20–30 years. Asbestos is therefore classified as a carcinogenic substance under the German Hazardous Substances Ordinance. The manufacture and reuse of asbestos products are prohibited for this reason. Giving asbestos products away is also a criminal offence.

Where can asbestos be found?

Asbestos can be firmly or weakly bound, with different levels of potential risk. Firmly bound products have a high binder content and a low asbestos content and are comparatively low-risk in their intact state. Their asbestos fibre content is below 15 percent by weight. However, wear or mechanical processing such as brushing, drilling, breaking or sawing releases fibres and creates the health risks described above.

Firmly bound asbestos can be found in facade cladding, roofing sheets, other flat and profiled panels, windowsills, flower boxes and pipes used in building and civil engineering. Eternit became known as a manufacturer of many asbestos-cement products. Brake and clutch linings, moulding and sealing compounds, adhesives, joint sealants and some flooring commonly used in the 1970s, such as Floor-Flex tiles, also contained firmly bound asbestos.

Weakly bound asbestos products have an asbestos content above 60 percent by weight. Even slight disturbance can present a risk. Weakly bound asbestos, including sprayed asbestos, was used for fire protection and sound insulation, for example in doors, ventilation systems, pipes, insulation, seals, cords and asbestos boards. Waste from asbestos remediation, including textiles, fabrics and filters, also belongs in this category. The use of sprayed asbestos in building construction has been prohibited since 1979.

Night-storage heaters also often contain weakly bound asbestos, either in small components or in their storage bricks. Asbestos was used in electrical appliances and various floor coverings until the mid-1980s. Its use was not prohibited until the end of 1993 under the German Chemicals Prohibition Ordinance.

How should asbestos be handled?

To protect everyone involved, the priority is to prevent or minimise the release of asbestos dust. Throwing, breaking or otherwise crushing asbestos-containing waste must always be avoided. Handling asbestos-containing waste is regulated by the German Hazardous Substances Ordinance and building regulations. Asbestos-containing materials must be identified in good time so that the necessary protective measures can be taken.

If a material is suspected of containing asbestos and the planned processing or use could present a risk, it should be examined.

Where asbestos is present in a building, demolition, remediation and maintenance work must be carried out by companies with the necessary personnel, safety arrangements and authorisation from the responsible authority, including evidence of competence under Technical Rule for Hazardous Substances 519.

An expert hazardous materials report should be considered to help prevent health problems and subsequent costs.