In Your Home Asbestos has been used in many building materials and consumer goods. Breathing asbestos dust can be harmful, but a few simple precautions will help to reduce the risk. This leaflet is intended to help you identify asbestos materials. It also indicates some steps to take to protect yourself and your family.
Asbestos is a natural mineral made up of many small fibres.
All can be harmful if dust containing the fibre is inhaled. Asbestos has been used about the home in building materials and consumer goods, particularly to resist heat and to give fire protection. In recent years a number of alternative or substitute products have been developed. Nevertheless, it is still possible to encounter asbestos products and, while these are not in themselves dangerous, as potential sources of fibrous dust they must be treated with caution. The inhalation of asbestos dust is dangerous and can cause a number of diseases including cancer, often many years after the first exposure.