NON-FRIABLE ASBESTOS-CONTAINING MATERIALS

Environmental Stress

Because of the resilient nature of asbestos, it is used in materials exposed to a wide variety of stressful environments. These environments can cause the deterioration of binding materials and cause non-friable materials to become friable. For example, asbestos-containing packings and gaskets (Category I non-friable ACM) used in thermal systems may be found in poor condition as a result of the heat they have encountered.

In petrochemical handling facilities (which may have miles of transfer pipes and fittings that contain asbestos gaskets and/or packings) profound degradation of the ACM may occur due to exposure to organic-based liquids and gases or to corrosive agents used to chemically clean these lines.