Asbestos-cement pipe has been used in water distribution systems around the world for more than 70 years. Pressure pipe is used primarily for the distribution of potable water, sewer force mains and industrial effluent process piping. Non-pressure pipe is used for sanitary and storm drainage systems, casings for electric cables or duct work.
Asbestos-cement construction products include flat and corrugated sheets used for commercial and residential buildings, roofing shingles and siding.
Asbestos fibres are combined with a resin or woven with metallic fibre to produce temperature resistant and durable friction linings. They can also be mixed with various additives, then molded to produce disk and drum brake linings and clutch facings.
There are close to 3000 known product applications for asbestos, though today its use is limited primarily to high density products in which the asbestos fibre is locked into a cementitious or resinous matrix. Modern-day products include asbestos-cement (pipe, roofing tiles and sheet), friction materials, gaskets, specialty papers and additives, with asbestos-cement accounting for approximately 85% of chrysotile fibre consumption.
A more detailed list of current chrysotile applications is presented in Appendix 1. A comparative analysis of the performance and safety of various categories of chrysotile-based products and competing products is presented in Module 8.