Asbestos is a general term for describing many forms of naturally occurring silicate minerals. There are different types of asbestos such as, Chrysotile, which is white asbestos, Amosite or brown asbestos, and Crocidolite, which is blue asbestos.
Usage of Asbestos
Asbestos is put to many modern usages in construction. It is used in sheetrock taping, vinyl floor tiles, texture and mud coats, sheeting, plasters and stuccos, adhesives and ceiling tiles, tar for roofing, sidings, felts, shingles. It is also used for making transit panels, kitchen countertops, and acoustical ceilings. Some forms of asbestos are used for fireproofing, preparing putty, caulk, brake pads and shoes, stage curtains, gaskets, fire blankets, fireproof clothing for firefighters, and thermal and chemical insulation.
Asbestos has multiple utilities due to its properties. The fibers of asbestos are generally mixed with cement or else woven inside mats or fabrics when asbestos is used for its property of being resistant to fire or heat. Due to this property, it is used in brakes, shoes, and gaskets. It also has a very advantageous property of electric insulation even at high temperatures and is used for hotplate wiring and electric ovens. It is flame-retardant and has excellent insulating properties, high tensile strength flexibility, and is quite resistant to most types of chemical attack and is thus used for building construction. However, inhaling some types of asbestos fibers can lead to many serious diseases, including cancer. That is why many uses of asbestos have been banned in many countries.

Asbestos removal service:

• Many companies provide asbestos removal services. Dealing with asbestos is quite hazardous if proper precautions are not taken. The people providing asbestos removal services have to be highly careful and they should fulfill Health & Safety Regulations and guidelines.
• Recently, due to the introduction of the Special Waste Regulations in 1996, all products of asbestos are now classified as a Special Waste and need to be disposed of according to proper guidelines and conventions. It is recommended to hire professionals for asbestos removal services to ensure full observance of the legislation.
• If the asbestos removal service is to be performed while people are still present in a building then it is important to relocate some of the building’s occupants temporarily. In most situations, the part of the building from which asbestos removal service is being carried out is sealed off to prevent contamination of other such areas. On the other hand, if the building is sealed for normal users, then it might be necessary to keep it sealed from the outer atmosphere to ensure that no accessible air is contaminated.
• Asbestos removal services are usually employed when an asbestos-containing building is to be torn down. At times the asbestos removal service might require a longer time and even cost more than the actual building demolition.
• Recently, an innovative way was developed by asbestos removal service providers to remove asbestos from fireproof substances without reducing its fire-resistance. This technology will remove the need to substitute asbestos-containing materials in the coming years.

There are many factors to take into consideration before embarking on asbestos removal. Although asbestos has many beneficial uses that can protect humans, inhaling it can be very costly indeed. It is best to leave the job to certified professionals who must remove and dispose of the problematic substance.