What's the difference between bonded and friable asbestos?
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When looking at the regulations around asbestos removal, most state regulators have different requirements for either bonded or friable asbestos-containing materials. So what are they?
Asbestos-containing materials fall into two broad categories: bonded and friable.
'Bonded' asbestos-containing materials
'Bonded' describes asbestos-containing materials (ACM) where the asbestos is firmly interwoven in the material. They're not likely to release airborne fibres if they're not disturbed and so pose a lower health risk.
Examples of bonded ACM
- flat and corrugated cement sheeting used in walls, ceilings and roofs
- moulded items such as downpipes
- vinyl floor coverings.
'Friable' asbestos-containing materials
'Friable' describes asbestos-containing materials (ACM) that can be easily reduced to powder by hand, when dry. They're likely to release measurable levels of airborne asbestos fibres when disturbed, and generally pose a higher health risk
Examples of friable ACM
- sprayed asbestos fire retardants
- thermal lagging, such as pipe insulation.
To understand whether you can remove the asbestos yourself or whether you need a licensed professional in your state, read our article here.
To find a qualified and licensed asbestos removal professional, post your job on our website here.
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