Asbestos Identification

[Munzy]

Can anybody help ID this board I have lining the interior walls of my house. Essentially I want to know if I’m dealing with asbestos or not. House is two hundred years old so from an age perspective it could be asbestos based.

It is tough as nails, breaks cleanly (although needing an almighty whack!) and with little dust and no fibrous break off.











Many thanks all!

 

[Munzy]

Just noticed the photos are a little misleading, the fibrous broken edges you can see is the wallpaper on the surface, the break of the board itself does not contain visible fibre, it’s pretty grainy.

 

[Munzy]

Just put a macro lens on and snapped a few more...

 

[^woody^]

Maybe

 

[stuart45]

If it is I wouldn't go snapping pieces off it.

 

[KenGMac]

Get it tested !

The house may be 200 years old but that material may not be?

Ken

 

[Newboy]

Hmmmmm I wonder if I have asbestos material in my house, let's see if there's a test I can do to check ..........

It is tough as nails, breaks cleanly (although needing an almighty whack!) and with little dust and no fibrous break off.

I you find anything that looks like a bomb then hit it - if it explodes then it's a bomb.

 

[JP_]

I used these guys. They sent me sample bags and once they got them back, test results came in a few days.
Obviously, you don't think it is asbestos, but just checking, just in case (because it's illegal to send known asbestos through the post)

 

[rsgaz]

it's illegal to send known asbestos through the post

Royal Mail says...

• UK - Not allowed in the mail (except when sent as a sample fixed in a resin, plastic or glass matrix)

Did they send you anything like that to put it in before putting in the bag? (Not that I'm actually sure what they mean by a matrix in this context!!)

Or just literally a little ziploc type bag like these?

 

[JP_]

It was double bagged, but I took it there and put in their postbox.
Thing is, you don't know it's asbestos, or you wont be getting it tested, would you?
But maybe double bagged in plastic sample bags is OK?
Whatever, it worked.

 

[rsgaz]

maybe double bagged in plastic sample bags is OK?

I don't know, I was hoping you did! Maybe 2 bags is a "plastic matrix"!!

 

[Munzy]

Thanks guys, I’ll get this bit sent off for testing.

Just to be clear... this is the only bit I broke off whilst masked-up, I haven’t smashed the whole house up!

 

[JP_]

Find a company that tests, follow their rules. Simple as that.

 

[endecotp]

I'm actually sure what they mean by a matrix in this context!!

Completely embedded in a solid.
Think of a fly in amber.