If you break or drill into asbestos, the material tends to crumble easily, producing a fine, dust-like powder. Edge Examination and Drill Dust Looking at a cut edge or an area where the material has been drilled is the most reliable visual method.
How to Spot Hidden Asbestos in Legacy Fibre Cement
Never attempt to scrape, sand, or cut the material yourself for testing, as this action immediately puts you at risk of inhalation. This sample is then sent to an accredited laboratory where specialists use Polarized Light Microscopy (PLM) to identify the asbestos fibres.
Safety Protocols and Legal Considerations. In contrast, fibre cement produces a fine, sand-like dust when drilled, but it maintains a fibrous structure and does not simply disintegrate into powder.
How to Spot Legacy Asbestos Hidden Beneath Fibre Cement Surfaces
The colour of the edge is also a factor; asbestos cement is usually a grey or white consistency, while fibre cement can sometimes appear darker or more greyish-brown due to the wood pulp content. If the material in question is a flat sheet used for roofing or siding installed before 1990, it is a prime candidate for asbestos.
More About How to tell the difference between asbestos and fibre cement
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