Because of the versatility of asbestos, and its many properties, it was used extensively in a number of building applications.  Such was the popularity of asbestos that it was used extensively in many types of building, especially during the post-war period, and consequently still exists in many places today.

The type of asbestos fibre, the way in which it was used, and its potential for dangerous asbestos fibre release all impact now on the safety of asbestos materials that remain in situ.

On a simple level, asbestos materials may be divided between those that require an asbestos licence to work with the material, and those that don’t.  This is not just on the basis of the type of fibre type, but is more the application that the material is used for.  In some circumstances the same asbestos material may fall inside or outside of the licensing requirement depending on how it is used: for example, asbestos rope used as a seal within a flue would not require a license; that same rope if wrapped around the flue as insulation would require a licensed contractor.  The definitions are explained in the Control of Asbestos Regulations.

Some of the main asbestos materials in place today are as follows:

• Asbestos cement – such as corrugated sheeting of the type found on old garage roofs, guttering, loft water tanks or in fascia and soffit boards
• Asbestos Insulation Board (AIB) – a dense fibrous board usually containing Amosite asbestos used mainly internally for things such as fire breaks, partitions, fire door panels; a very dangerous material if not handled correctly, and often mistaken for less dangerous asbestos cement or plasterboard which means that although it falls within the licensing requirement it can find itself being removed by unlicensed trades
• Asbestos rope, paper and tape – made from pure woven Chrysotile asbestos and very friable (able to release fibres), used for gaskets, heat seals, backing to flooring
• Composite materials – materials such as floor tiles or bitumens where the asbestos fibres are bound up very tightly in a plastic or resin
• Insulation – either sectional pipe insulation, some corrugated paper types, but most often a hand-mixed and applied mixture of asbestos types on pipework and vessels.  Very succeptible to damage and releasing fibres, must be handled by a licensed contractor and removed under very well controlled conditions
• Artex – it surprises many people to learn that many popular artex brands of the 60s and 70s in particular contained an asbestos element.  Considered very low risk in terms of fibre release, it is still governed by the asbestos regulations and requires proper handling and disposal