Asbestos in vinyl floor tiles

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Sorry I have just copied and pasted this, but I am really anxious and aren’t up to rewording it!
I have got myself in a terrible anxious state, husband has been renovating our dusty utility room and a few vinyl tiles were broken and he removed them. I have since found out that they can contain asbestos, although as they are 300mm size and house was built in 1983 they are less likely to have it in it but still possible. My husband knew I was anxious and wet mopped everything down after he swept up, he said when he removed the broken ones they weren’t dusty, he left the intact ones down and the dust was just concrete/diy related.
To say I am freaked out is an understatement, I also washed the clothes he was wearing separately, two washes and extra rinse as he didn’t want them thrown out, I am now anxious about contamination of washing machine and tumble dryer as the kids clothes have gone in there.
I have always feared asbestos for some reason and had a really worrying time last year as my teenage son has been ill, he was also diagnosed with aspergillus mold allergy so really worried about him in the house with it.

Can't give a definite no and you are right to think about this - but no new tiles were manufactured in the UK with asbestos after 1980 so the odds are good.

You do need some help as getting in this kind of state is not good.

Thank you for your reply, you are right and I am thinking about speaking to doctor, I have spent the last five years dealing with serious illnesses with children and DH that I thing stress has caught up with me!

Can I ask how you know that no tiles after 1980 has asbestos?

I just had asbestos testing carried out on my house after something similar (albeit ceiling related not floor). The engineer who came was telling me how low the risk is in residential properties with a single incident (and it's a big IF whether you do have any). The horror stories are predominantly based on people who have been exposed to asbestos for years at work etc.
If you are really freaked out I'd recommend getting the floor tested for peace of mind. Even having the chat to the guy has calmed me down so money well spent.

The floor tiles even if made of asbestos have v v v limited risk to your health. I currently have them in my kitchen and bathroom uncovered as I'm renovating. A friend who is a surveyor reassured me there is no problem.
Hth

I accidentally pulled up loads of these when doing the kitchen. They’re triple bagged and I’ve downloaded an asbestos pass for the local tip.

I used to work for a company that dealt with asbestos so a quick call to them later and my mind was put at rest.

Manufacture of tiles with asbestos stopped in 1980, found it online. Builders were allowed to use up old stocks. Odds on any being left 3 years later are low.

Yes, please see your gp.

I do appreciate the replies, my heart has stopped pounding!
single do you know if the black stuff on top of concrete under tiles is ok?

I don’t I’m afraid. The ones in my kitchen were just put down with what looked like some sort of glue.

If you are really worried you can send samples away for testing . If it makes you feel any better we have these tiles throughout the downstairs of our 1983 property . Sent a sample of tile and glue away for testing and came back fine .

I'm glad to have entered to this topic cause I've got a similar issue with a property we are about to purchase, and I'd appreciate some advise and input on this, as we are FTB and no idea about asbestos thingy.

So property is from 1982, and rooms have textured ceilings (artex I believe). I've talked with the owner and he had two other ceilings replastered and painted and the artex removed, and he mentioned no issue whatsoever, and he didn't have to have qualified people to come and remove etc, but I don't know how dangerous that could be and what potential cost it could have if we would need to remove the artex?

I was tempted to run a test on those, now about to exchange contracts, but a friend of mine (constructor) said no issue as the property was post-1980s, what do you think, should I still carry the tests for asbestos anyway?

Thanks a lot for your input guys!!

Best regards.

Artex isn’t asbestos. It’s like a plaster that they do swirly patterns in.

I think the only thing that will ease your mind is to have the tiles tested and maybe the levels of asbest present in the air measured if they do contain it.
To ease your mind, my SIL and her DH are renovating an old farmhouse and they removed all asbestos themselves with a mask on and didn't have tested what kind of asbestos it was. FIL says he remembers his father cutting asbestos sheets to line his barn with and he lived to the ripe age of 94 with no cancers or lung problems.
Apparently a once off exposure is very unlikely to do any harm and it is more an issue for people who are exposed to it over a number of years

Anerak my parents said similar, my mum said she and my dad have handled it before in their younger days and they are both in their early eighties, she also pointed out that it was in oven cloths, ironing boards etc.
I don’t know if that’s making me more relaxed about it or not

Raislander olderartex can contain a small amount of white asbestos, but apparently it doesn’t have to be removed by licensed contractors as its classed as lower risk.
I shall still worry if ceiling falls down in my early 80’s house though!
I just want to go and purchase something from the new estate down the road.

Calm down! I used to work in asbestos analysis.

As the tiles are vinyl asbestos is kind of stuck inside them and even if torn wouldn't be likely to be released into the air. There wouldn't be any in the dust. Unless the tiles were so old and desiccated that they had crumbled and turned to dust. The really dangerous materials with asbestos are things that can be disturbed and released into the air easily like lagging or loft insulation.

Even then if there was some released , it's very limited exposure. I seriously wouldn't worry about it.

As for artex and any other material with asbestos, as long as undisturbed it's perfectly safe.

I have read that artex contains or could contain white asbestos, although very little. I'm trying to understand if it's really worth it run the test upfront, or just go with it and if needed in the long run get it removed or boarded/skimmed.

But if that could be quite expensive I want to know it upfront to understand what I'm getting into.