Asbestos is mostly used in UK as a building material. Much of the asbestos from buildings is now being removed. However, tonnes of asbestos still remain to be removed. Asbestos dust is dangerous when inhaled. Hence special care has to be taken while removing asbestos.

• Basically there are three types of asbestos that are in use today. White, blue and brown.
• The fibers with which the asbestos is made gets disturbed during the removal of asbestos. Moreover, these fibers are very much harmful if inhaled.
• Using face masks and hand gloves is advisory while handling asbestos.
• Packaging of asbestos should be done carefully before transportation. The asbestos should be kept damp and contained in plastic bags while transporting, to reduce airborne fibers.
• Most of the councils readily accept asbestos at their household recycling centers.
• You can seek the advice of your local council to get assistance in asbestos recycling.
• Few companies provide certain services to remove asbestos safely.
• A few precautions has to be taken for safe handling of asbestos:

Ø      Wear a dust mask approves for use with asbestos.

Ø      A plastic sheet could be spread out to collect the dust.

Ø      This dust should be cleaned with a damp cloth, which should be sealed in a plastic bag while still damp.

Ø      The asbestos material should be dampened to prevent dust escaping.

Ø      Asbestos should be removed in sheets or components. Breaking up of the asbestos products should be avoided.

FACTS

 1.      About 15,000 metric tons of asbestos was used in the United States in 1999; most was imported from Canada.

2.      In the past, asbestos was used in around 3,000 products manufactured worldwide, most commonly in the construction, car manufacturing and textile industries.