SOS/help! Is this asbestos?

[TennisStar]

Hi everyone - would be really grateful for some help/advice on this.

I have been removing a small wall/low surface in our living room. It forms part of our 1970s cornish stone fireplace built by the previous owners and extends along the length of one of our living room walls.

I've been chiseling away at the wall and removing the front which is cornish stone. I found that the back has been filled / packed out with the remainder of an older previous fireplace (house was built in 1948).

I found white looking bits of rock/concrete which seem to be from the old flue or hearth. One of them was scorched on one side so was obviously exposed to the fire.

They seem rock like and powdery as opposed to fibrous but they are quite white so am suspecting they could be asbestos but have no idea.

Would be grateful for your opinions. (In the picture please ignore the middle item which I think is just a tile). Thanks in anticipation!

Untitled

• TennisStar
• 4 Apr 2015
• 1

Untitled

• TennisStar
• 4 Apr 2015
• 1

 

[tufty]

Best to treat as such until sure in my view, although from what I can make out from your pic , it doesn't look like it is.

Think fireplaces had a fire resistant cement used in their construction, down side is some of the cements may have had asbestos content in them.

Locally here for the price of £25 a firm will analyse any sample within a couple of days , so better to stay safe for the price of a sample test.

It looks too powdery to me to be asbestos, but for now treat as such.

Having said that, if you dampen it down with a sprayer, and wear a mask you should be able to remove it, but I would double bag it, and here local council will accept it at an amenity tip , provide you tell them first, they have a secure area for it.

Sit back for a bit and see what others here think as well.

 

[TennisStar]

Thanks Tufty (and for moving to correct forum area - sorry - noob mistake)