Non-friable asbestos refers to products that are made up of asbestos fibres bonded with cement, vinyl, resin or other similar material. Non-friable products account for 97% of asbestos products, and as such, they are the ones you are most likely to encounter during home maintenance and renovation projects.
Common names in the community for products that are classified ‘non-friable’ include:
- fibro
- super six
- bonded asbestos
- asbestos cement sheets, or AC sheeting.
Examples of where non-friable asbestos products have been used in homes include (but are not limited to):
- wall cladding (interior and exterior)
- roofing
- eaves
- fences
- ridge capping
- vinyl floor tiles
- carpet underlay
- kitchen splashbacks
- thermal boards around fireplaces
- backing of electrical boards
- water or flue pipes.
To get an idea of what some common non-friable asbestos products look like, visit the Asbestos Awareness.