Though there was US Ban on asbestos use, asbestos is still found in many of the products used today. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has banned the use of the following products in new construction and renovation:
* Spray-applied surfacing asbestos-containing material.
* Sprayed-on application of materials containing more than 1% asbestos to buildings, structures, pipes, and conduits unless the material is encapsulated with a bituminous or resinous binder during spraying and the materials are not friable after drying.
* Wet-applied and pre-formed asbestos pipe insulation, and pre-formed asbestos block insulation on boilers and hot water tanks.
* Corrugated paper, rollboard, commercial paper, specialty paper, flooring felt, and new uses of asbestos.
Over 30 million tons of asbestos were used as part of countless products in industrial facilities, homes, and schools during the 20th century. While products manufactured in the United States no longer contain asbestos, these products and the deadly asbestos they contain may still be present in our environment. While the following list is not all encompassing, most asbestos products fit into these categories.
A way to stay protected is to read each product’s label and make sure that asbestos is not used. With the advent of trade agreements, products from outside the United States that contain asbestos are now being introduced into the American consumer marketplace, which means asbestos may still be contained in many of the products you use today, but are unaware of that may be manufactured within the US and outside the US.
Here is a listing of some products that contain asbestos:
Adhesives
Appliance components
Automotive products
Brake linings
Brake pads
Clutch plates
Ceilings Products
Acoustical plaster
Ceiling panels
Ceiling texture (Popcorn texture)
Ceiling tiles
Ceiling tile mastic
Cement-asbestos board (Transite) products
Chimney flue lining
Ducts
Pipes
Shingles
Siding
Wall panels
Chalkboards
Electrical products
Cloth wire insulation
Electrical breakers
Electrical panel arc chutes
Electrical panel partitions
Electrical panels
Insulating cloth
Fire protection products
Fire blankets
Fire curtains
Fire doors
Spray-on fireproofing
Heating and Cooling System products
Boiler insulation
Boiler breeching insulation
Cooling towers
Duct work insulation
Furnace insulation
Gaskets
Heat shields (paper and corrugated cardboard)
HVAC vibration dampeners
Pipe lagging insulation
Pipe elbow insulation
Tank insulation
Tank casings
Thermal taping compounds
Elevator equipment
Elevator car brake shoes
Elevator equipment panels
Flooring Products
Asphalt floor tiles
Carpet mastic
Coving mastic
Floor tile mastic
Vapor barriers
Vinyl floor tiles
Vinyl sheet flooring (linoleum)
Industrial use products
Beverage filters
Friction materials
Laboratory products
Heat resistant gloves
Laboratory hoods
Laboratory tables and countertops
Paints and coatings
Roofing Products
Base flashing
Felt
Shingles
Tar or “Black Jack”
Table pads
Wall Products
Decorative plaster
Caulking and putties
Spackling compounds
Vinyl wall coverings
Wall penetration packing materials
Wallboard joint compound
Wallboard or sheetrock
Window glazing
Vermiculite
Attic insulation
Fireplace decoration
Gardening products
Wall insulation
