Asbestos in the Home
U S. Consumer Product Safety Commteaion US. Environmental Protectkxi Agency
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Asbestos in the Home
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Comirtwion
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
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Introduction
This booklet was prepared by the
U.S. Consumer Product Safety
Commission (CPSC) and the En-
vironmental Protection Agency
(EPA). Its goal is to help consumers
understand the possible hazards of
exposure to asbestos and materials
containing asbestos in the home.
The booklet describes asbestos,
where it may be found in trie home.
and the possible dangers of expo-
sure to asbestos. The Table of Con-
tents lists the questions answered
in this booklet. If you have addi-
tional questions, you may call the
toll-free number listed at the back of
the booklet.
The Federal government is con-
cerned about asbestos-containing
products in me home because
sometimes asbestos fibers can be
released from these products. If as-
bestos fibers are inhaled, certain
types of cancer may later develop.
Asbestos in homes poses several
problems. Household members
have little or no protection from ex-
posure to asbestos fibers. Once re-
leased, me asbestos fibers may
stay suspended in the air for many
hours. After they settle, fibers can
be stirred up again by a household
activity, such as sweeping. During
this time, asbestos fibers can be in-
haled. This continued presence
could cause an ongoing risk in the
home.
EPA and CPSC have already taken
several steps to reduce your expo-
sure to asbestos:
In 1973. EPA prohibited the
spraying of asbestos-containing
materials for insulation, (ire pro-
tection, and soundproofing.
In 1975. EPA prohibited the use
of asbestos for pipe covering if
the material is easily crumbled
after it dries.
In 1977. CPSC banned two
asbestos-containing products:
patching compounds and artifi-
cial fireplace emberizing mate-
rials (ash and embers) contain-
ing raspirable asbestos.
The CPSC is investigating the risk
from asbestos in other products, in-
formation on other products will be
made available as investigations
are completed. This continuing re-
search activity should produce the
most effective program possible for
reducing unnecessary human ex-
posure to asbestos.
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Table of Contents
Questions Answered in this Booklet
What is asbestos? 4
Is asbestos dangerous? 4
Are ail products with asbestos a health risk for consumers? . 4
Do all people exposed to asbestos develop asbestos-related
disease? 4
What hazards do cigarette smokers face when exposed to as-
bestos? Do they have a greater chance of developing lung
cancer than smokers not exposed to asbestos? 4
Where is asbestos used in the home? 4
How can I tell if I have asbestos in my home? 4
If I find asbestos in my home, what should I do? 4
Vinyl Floor Tiles and Vinyl Sheet Flooring 5
Patching Compounds and Textured Paints 6
Ceilings 6
Stoves and Furnaces 7
Door Gaskets 7
Walls and Pipes 8
Appliances 9
Roofing, Shingles and Siding 9
How to Identify Asbestos ' 9
General Guidelines for Handling Products Containing
Asbestos 10-11
More Information 12
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Q*A
Q:
A
What is
asbestos?
Asbestos is a mineral fiber
found in rocks. There are
several kinds of asbestos fibers, all
of which are fire resistant and not
easily destroyed or degraded by
natural processes.
Q
Is asbestos
dangerous?
A, Asbestos has been shown to
cause cancer of the lung and
stomach according to studies of
workers and others exposed to as-
bestos. There is no level of expo-
sure to asbestos fbers that experts
can assure is completely safe.
Some asbestos materials can break
into small fibers which can float in
the air, and these fibers can be in-
haled. You cannot see these tiny
fibers, and they are so small that
they pass through the fitters of nor-
mal vacuum cleaners and get back
into the air. Once inhaled, asbestos
fibers can become lodged in tissue
for a long time. After many years,
cancer or mesotheJioma can
develop.
In order to be a hearth risk, as-
bestos fibers must be reteased
from the material and be present
In the air for people to breathe.
A
Q. Are all products with
asbestos a health risk
for the consumer?
A . NO. A health risk exists only
/! when asbestos fibers are re-
leased from the material or product.
Soft, easily crumbled asbestos-
containing material has the greatest
potential for asbestos release and
therefore has the greatest potential
to create health risks.
O« Do all people exposed
* to asbestos develop
asbestos-related disease?
4, NO. Most people exposed to
small amounts of asbestos
do not develop any related health
problems. Health studies of asbes-
tos workers and others, however,
show that the chances of develop-
ing some serious illnesses, includ-
ing lung cancer, are greater after
exposure to asbestos.
Q. What hazards do
cigarette smokers face
when exposed to asbestos?
Do they have a greater
chance of developing lung
cancer than smokers not
exposed to asbestos?
A, YES. Asbestos exposure
and cigarette smoking to-
gether have been shown to cause a
greater risk of lung cancer than
either the risk of cancer produced
by smoking or working with asbes-
tos alone.
Q
. Where is asbestos
used in the home?
A, Asbestos has been used in a
wide variety of products, in-
cluding household and building ma-
terials, such as appliances, ceil-
ings, wall and pipe coverings, floor
tiles, and some roofing materials.
Basically, asbestos has been used
in products for four reasons: (1) to
strengthen the product material: (2)
for thermal insulation within a proa-
uct: (3) for thermal or acoustical in-
sulation or decoration on exposed
surfaces; and (4) for fire protection
Q
How can I tell if I have
asbestos in my home?
A, The manufacturer of a prod-
uct may be able to tell you.
based on the model number and
age of the product, whether or not
the product contains asbestos.
People who have frequently worked
with asbestos (such as plumbers.
building contractors, or heating con-
tractors) often are able to make a
reasonable judgment about
whether or not a material contains
asbetos based on a visual
inspection.
Iflflnd asbestos in my
home, what should I
do?
A, In most cases, asbestos-
containing materials are
best left alone. When it is neces-
sary to use or work with asoesios-
containing materials, reduce your
exposure to fibers as much as
possible. To help you do this, we
have provided some general
guidelines on pages 10-11 for work-
ing with products containing asoes-
tos. If at all possible, get help from a
contractor who is trained and ex -
perienced in working with asoesios
Be sure the contractor is familiar
with and follows the guidelines on
pages 10-11 for handling as-
bestos-containing materials m
general, home repair contractors
are not experienced in the prooer
procedures for handling asoesios
4
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Vinyl Floor Tiles and
Vmyl Sheet Flooring
Asbestos has been added to some
vinyl floor tiles to strengthen them.
Asbestos is also present in the
backing on some vinyl sheet floor-
ing. The asbestos is often bound in
the tiles and backing with vinyl or
some type of binder. Asbestos fi-
bers can be released if the tiles are
sanded or seriously damaged, or if
the backing on the sheet flooring is
dry-scraped or sanded, or if the tiles
are severely worn or cut to fit into
place.
When replacement or repair be-
comes necessary, follow the
guidelines given on pages 10-11.
The tiles should be handled as little
as possible. Avoid sanding or
otherwise damaging them. A safe
and recommended alternative is to
place a new flooring material di-
rectly over the old tiles or sheet
For additional information, you may
wish to read: "Recommended Work
Procedures for Resilient Floor
Covers." available on request from
the Resilient Poor Covering Insti-
tute, 103015th St.. NW, Suite 350.
Washington, DC 20005. Enclose a
business-size, self-addressed,
stamped envelope for that
publication.
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Patching Compounds
and Textured Paints
In 1977. CPSC banned asbestos-
containing patching compounds.
Some wall and ceiling joints may be
patched with asbestos-containing
material manufactured before 1977.
If the material is in good condition, it
is best to leave it alone. Sanding
and scraping will release asbestos
fibers. If it is in poor condition, or if
the wall or ceiling needs to be re-
moved or repaired, follow the
guidelines on pages 10-11.
Some textured paint sold before
1978 contained asbestos. It is un-
likely that asbestos is being added
to textured paint today, based on
information obtained from manufac-
turers by the CPSC. As with patch-
ing compounds, textured paint is
best left alone if undamaged. Sand-
ing or cutting a surface with tex-
tured paint that may contain asbes-
tos should be avoided.
// "\
Ceilings
Some large buildings and a few
homes built or remodeled between
1945 and 1978 may contain a
crumbly, asbestos-containing mate-
rial which has been either sprayed
or troweled onto the ceiling or walls.
If the material is in good condition, it
is best to leave it alone. If the mate-
rial appears damaged, you may
want to consider having it repaired
or removed.
If possible, contact the builder or
the contractor who applied the ceil-
ing coating to determine whether
asbestos-containing material was
used. This may be difficult to do in
older homes. If you decide that it is
necessary to remove this type of
asbestos material, follow the
guidelines on pages 10-11 The
of a trained asbestos contractor is
highly advised when asbestos-
containing material is to be re-
moved.
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Stoves and Furnaces
Stove Insulation
Asbestos-containing cement
sheets, millboard and paper have
been used frequently in homes
when wood-burning stoves have
been installed. These asbestos-
containing materials are used as
thermal insulation to protect the
floor and walls around the stoves.
On cement sheets, the label may
tell you if it contains asbestos.
The cement sheet material prob-
ably will not release asbestos fibers
unless scraped. This sheet material
may be coated with a high tempera-
ture paint, which will help seal any
asbestos into the material.
Asbestos paper or millboard are
also used for this type of thermal
insulation. If these materials have
been placed where they are sub-
jected to wear, there is an increased
possibility that asbestos fibers may
be released. Damage or misuse of
the insulating material by sanding,
drilling, or sawing will also release
asbestos fibers. Suitable precau-
tions should be taken (see guide-
lines on pages 10-11).
Door
Gaskets
Some door gaskets in furnaces,
ovens, and wood and coal stoves
may contain asbestos. The
asbestos-containing door gaskets
on wood and coal-burning stoves
are subject to wear and can release
asbestos fibers under normal use
conditions. Handle the asbestos-
containing material as little as
possible, following the guidelines
on pages 10-11. [
furnace Insulation
Oil. coal, or wood furnaces with as-
bestos-containing insulation and
cement are generally found in some
older homes. Updating the system
to oil or gas can result in removal or
damage to the old insulation.
.
If the insulation on or around your
furnace is in good condition, it is
best to leave it alone. If the insula-
tion is in poor condition, or pieces
are breaking off, you may want to
consider having it repaired or re-
moved. First find out if the insula-
tion contains asbetos; if it does, fol-
low the guidelines on pages 10-11.
JO) If the insulation is breaking off
-\Q) around the furnace, children
should not play In this dusty
area.
T
)
I
. V
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Watts and Pipes
Pipe Insulation
Hot water and steam pipes in some
older homes may be covered with
an asbestos-containing material
primarily to reduce heat loss, and to
protect nearby surfaces from the
hot pipes. Pipes may also be wrap-
ped in an asbestos "blanket" or as-
bestos paper tape. Asbestos-
containing insulation has also been
used on furnace ducts. Most asbes-
tos pipe insulation in homes is pre-
formed to fit around various diame-
ter pipes. This type of asbestos-
containing insulation was manufac-
tured from 1920 to 1972.
If you have damaged insulation
around pipes or boilers, the best
current recommendation is to leave
the insulation in place and repair
the protective covering. In many
circumstances, this is the best way
to avoid potential exposure to as-
bestos. For example, it may be
possible to use a protective tape
such as a good wide duct tape, or
other commercial product devel-
oped to cover pipes.
Wall and Ceiling Insulation
Homes constructed between 1930
and 1950 may contain insulation
made with asbestos. Wail and ceil-
ing insulation that contains asbes-
tos is generally found inside the
wall or ceiling ("sandwiched" be-
hind plaster walls). Renovation and
home improvements may expose
and disturb the materials. In cases
of major disruption of asbestos-
containing material, it is exceed-
ingly important that a trained asbes-
tos contractor be used. Find a con-
tractor (such as one familiar with
removal of asbestos ceilings in
schools) who is experienced with
guidelines for handling asbestos
and will follow the guidelines on
pages 10-11 to do this work.
8
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Appliances
Some appliances are. or have
been, manufactured with
asbestos-containing parts or com-
ponents. The CPSC is making an
effort to identify household
appliances which could release as-
bestos fibers during use. The
CPSC has reviewed information on
the use of asbestos-containing
parts in toasters, popcorn poppers,
broilers, slow cookers, dishwash-
ers, refrigerators, ovens, ranges,
clothes dryers and electric blan-
kets. There has been a general de-
cline in the use of asbestos in these
appliances during recent years.
When asbestos is used, it is in parts
which will probably not result in the
release of asbestos fibers during
use. It is unlikely that asbestos
components in these appliances
present a significant health risk
from release of asbestos fibers.
An exception was hair dryers with
asbestos-containing heat shields.
Manufacturers voluntarily recalled
such hairdryers in 1979. Labora-
tory tests of most hair dryers
showed that asbestos fibers were
released during use. Current pro-
duction hair dryer models do not
contain asbestos heat shields.
If you are concerned about asbes-
tos in an appliance, do not repair it
yourself. Instead, have a qualified
repair technician repair it.
Roofing, Shingles, and Siding
Some roofing shingles, siding shin-
gles and sheets have been manu-
factured with asbestos-using
Portland cement as a binding agent.
Since these products are already in
place and outdoors, there is likely to
be little risk to human health. How-
ever, if the siding is worn or dam-
aged, you may spray paint it to help
seal in the fibers.
You should avoid disturbing these
products if they are already part of
your home. Unless the roofing must
be replaced as a result of normal
wear, it is wiser to simply leave it in
place. If repair or replacement is
necessary, follow the guidelines on
pages 10-11.
Mow to Identify Asbestos
You should first try to determine
whether the* material does in fad
contain asbestos. Avoid disturbing
the material if at all possible. If you
cannot determine from the label, in-
staller, or manufacturer whether the
material contains asbestos, it is
best to assume that the product
does contain asbestos.
People who have frequently worked
with asbestos material (such as
plumbers, building contractors or
heating contractors) often are able
to make a reasonable judgment
about whether or not a product con-
tains asbestos, based on a visual
inspection. If you are uncertain
whether some materials contain
asbestos, you may want to call
such people for advice.
In some cases, you may want to
have the material analyzed. Such
analysis may be desirable if you
have a large area of damaged ma-
terial or if you are preparing a major
renovation which will expose mala-
rial contained behind a wall or other
barrier. Before attempting to sample
the material, call the CPSC Hotline
number on page 12 for information
on sampling and to locate a labora-
tory capable of analyzing material
samples for asbestos. Laboratory
analysis can be expensive, ranging
from about $20 to more than $40
per sample, and several samples
may be required to have a more
accurate determination of asbestos
content
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General Guidelines
for Handling Products Containing Asbestos
if you think that a material contains
asbestos, and you have to disturb
it. handle it very carefully. Special
precautions should be taken during
removal of exposed or damaged
asbestos-containing material. If
possible, find a contractor trained in
safe procedures for handling asbes-
tos (such as a contractor familiar
with removal of asbestos ceilings in
schools). Always keep the following
caution in mind:
Caution:
Do not dust, sweep, or
vacuum particles sus-
pected of containing
asbestos. This will dis-
turb tiny asbestos fibers
and may make them
airborne. The fibers are
so small that they can-
not be seen and can
pass through normal
vacuum cleaner filters
and get back into the air.
The dust should be re-
moved by a wet-
mopping procedure or
by specially-designed
vacuum cleaners used
by trained asbestos
contractors.
Follow these basic precautions for
working with asbestos:
1. Do not disturb any material you
think may contain asbestos un-
less you have to. Removal of the
material is usually the last
alternative.
2. Seal off the work area from the
rest of the residence. Plastic
sheeting and duct tape may be
used. Take great care not to
track asbestos dust into other
areas of the residence
3. Always wear an approved res-
pirator. Wear protective gloves.
hats, and other protective cloth-
ing. If possible, dispose of ail of
this equipment immediately after
using it. If you cannot dispose of
your clothing, wash it separately
from the family's wash (Call the
CPSC Hotline number listed on
10
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page 12 for more information on
respirators.)
When working with asbestos-
containing material, wet it with a
hand sprayer. The sprayer
should provide a fine mist, and
the material should be thor-
oughly dampened, but not drip-
ping wet. Wet fibers do not float
in the air as readily as dry fibers
and will be easier to clean up.
The addition of a small amount
(about a teaspoon to a quart of
water) of a low-sudsing dish or
laundry detergent will improve
the penetration of the water into
the material and reduce the
amount of water needed.
5. If you must drill or cut an
asbestos-containing material,
do the drilling or cutting outside if
possible. Wet the material first
(according to instructions in item
4, above).
6. If you must remove the material,
avoid breaking it into small
pieces. While it is easier to re-
move and handle small pieces,
you are more likely to release
asbestos fibers if you break the
material into small pieces. Pipe
insulation was usually installed
in preformed blocks; remove
these in complete pieces.
7. Place any matenal you remove
and any debris from the work in
plastic trash bags and dispose
of it in a proper land-fill. Call your
health department for instruc-
tions about how to dispose of
this. Take care not to break the
bag.
8. After you finish removing the
material, thoroughly clean the
area with wet mops, wet rags, or
sponges. Repeat the cleaning
procedure a second time. Wet-
ting will help to reduce the
chance that the fibers get spread
around. Again, see that no as-
bestos material is tracked into
other areas. If possible, dispose
of the mop heads, rags, and
sponges in the trash bags with
the removed materials. Other-
wise, vigorously flush the mop,
rag, or sponge in running water
in a sink or basin with a drain.
Make sure to completely rinse
both the utensil and the basin.
9. If you are going to have work
done by a contractor, discuss
these guidelines and other steps
to minimize asbestos exposure.
n
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More Information
For information about laboratories for asbestos testing, advice about
where to get respirators, and guidelines for how to repair or remove
asbestos, call the CPSC Hotline (numbers below) or write to the U.S.
Consumer Product Safety Commission. Washington. DC 20207. The
CPSC Hotline also has information on certain appliances and products
(such as the brands and models of hairdryers that contained asbestos).
Call CPSC at 800-638-CPSC
A teletypewriter (TTY) for the deaf is available on the following numbers.
National TTY (including Alaska and Hawaii)800-638-8270.
Maryland TTY only800-492-8104.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Com-
mission (CPSC) is an Independent regu-
latory agency charged with reducing unrea-
sonable nsks of injury associated with con-
sumer products. CPSC is headed by fly*
Commissioners appointed by me President
with the advice and consent of the Senate.
TNs document ia in Itw public domain it may
be reproduced in part or m whole by an
Individual or organization without permis-
sion. If tt la reproduced, however, the Com-
mission would appreciate knowing how it is
used. Write to the U.S. Consumer Product
Safety Commission. Office of Outreach
Coordination, Washington. OC 20207.
For sale by the Superintendent of Doc-
uments. U.S. Government Pnnting Office
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