Asbestos in Plaster

DeerWatch · 2023-10-19T10:07:25+00:00

I got in a state a few years back about asbestos in floor tiles, been relaxed since then but anxiety coming back as kitchen wall tiles are coming off and worried this will damage plaster wall underneath. Was asbestos ever mixed in with plaster? The house was built 1983.

ComtesseDeSpair · 19/10/2023 11:36

Yes, it was - but mostly by 1983 it was rare, and it’s generally indicated by the rough knobbly textured walls you still see in older homes. The only way to be sure is an asbestos survey - which, if you’re this anxious about it, isn’t a bad idea. Personally I wouldn’t give it a second thought.

SquashPenguin · 19/10/2023 12:14

I’m an asbestos surveyor and analyst- asbestos in plaster is very rare. If we find it, it’s usually a case of cross contamination, such as a board or cement being stuck to it, or new plaster on top of a surface that had a bad asbestos strip previously.

You could always sample it and send it to a lab. Best way would be to take a few samples from across the surface you are concerned about, but from my own experience it’s really not something I would get too worried about. Hope that helps!

Original poster

DeerWatch · 19/10/2023 17:59

Thank you both for your replies. I am now far less concerned.

OP posts:

Nikki360 · 21/04/2024 10:16

SquashPenguin · 19/10/2023 12:14

I’m an asbestos surveyor and analyst- asbestos in plaster is very rare. If we find it, it’s usually a case of cross contamination, such as a board or cement being stuck to it, or new plaster on top of a surface that had a bad asbestos strip previously.

You could always sample it and send it to a lab. Best way would be to take a few samples from across the surface you are concerned about, but from my own experience it’s really not something I would get too worried about. Hope that helps!

Hi I’m sorry to message on this thread but u saw you are a specialist with asbestos. I’m having an awful time just now with ocd and health anxiety to do with asbestos. Basically we have lived in our house since 2006 and in the garden there is old railway sleepers. I read that there could be asbestos on them from old brake dust from the trains. I’m petrified my children have grew up playing in the garden. Can you give me any advice? X

SquashPenguin · 21/04/2024 11:39

Nikki360 · 21/04/2024 10:16

Hi I’m sorry to message on this thread but u saw you are a specialist with asbestos. I’m having an awful time just now with ocd and health anxiety to do with asbestos. Basically we have lived in our house since 2006 and in the garden there is old railway sleepers. I read that there could be asbestos on them from old brake dust from the trains. I’m petrified my children have grew up playing in the garden. Can you give me any advice? X

Show quote history

The risk from an item like that would be negligible, and I mean like REALLY tiny. I’ve never personally seen asbestos on sleepers or been involved with the removal of it. I’ve never had it come through my lab either. The trains that had asbestos brake pads were ancient, just the same as old cars. One of our surveyors recently tested a tractor that was in a museum it was so old! Whilst it’s true that all asbestos carries a risk and none are ‘safe’, brake pads were a lower risk material, and any degradation that might have been present (there is no guarantee), is likely long gone.

People regularly remove or repair asbestos cement shed roofs in the gardens, this would pose a higher risk than your sleepers but again being outside dramatically reduces the chance of any harm to anyone. We actually consider there to be an ambient airbourne fibre level because it would be physically impossible to remove fibres (of any material) in the air around us. When we run air tests it is still perfectly acceptable to find fibres, it’s just that the levels are very, very low.

Honestly I wouldn’t give it a second thought 😊

Nikki360 · 21/04/2024 19:23

SquashPenguin · 21/04/2024 11:39

The risk from an item like that would be negligible, and I mean like REALLY tiny. I’ve never personally seen asbestos on sleepers or been involved with the removal of it. I’ve never had it come through my lab either. The trains that had asbestos brake pads were ancient, just the same as old cars. One of our surveyors recently tested a tractor that was in a museum it was so old! Whilst it’s true that all asbestos carries a risk and none are ‘safe’, brake pads were a lower risk material, and any degradation that might have been present (there is no guarantee), is likely long gone.

People regularly remove or repair asbestos cement shed roofs in the gardens, this would pose a higher risk than your sleepers but again being outside dramatically reduces the chance of any harm to anyone. We actually consider there to be an ambient airbourne fibre level because it would be physically impossible to remove fibres (of any material) in the air around us. When we run air tests it is still perfectly acceptable to find fibres, it’s just that the levels are very, very low.

Honestly I wouldn’t give it a second thought 😊

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Hello I can’t tell you how much you have helped me with your message. I’ve been so so upset and my anxiety had been awful. The ocd makes it so hard to be rational about things. I really really appreciate you taking the time to reply to me and to give me so much information about it to really calm me down. Thankyou so very much x

Jeansgirl22 · 18/01/2025 21:24

SquashPenguin · 21/04/2024 11:39

The risk from an item like that would be negligible, and I mean like REALLY tiny. I’ve never personally seen asbestos on sleepers or been involved with the removal of it. I’ve never had it come through my lab either. The trains that had asbestos brake pads were ancient, just the same as old cars. One of our surveyors recently tested a tractor that was in a museum it was so old! Whilst it’s true that all asbestos carries a risk and none are ‘safe’, brake pads were a lower risk material, and any degradation that might have been present (there is no guarantee), is likely long gone.

People regularly remove or repair asbestos cement shed roofs in the gardens, this would pose a higher risk than your sleepers but again being outside dramatically reduces the chance of any harm to anyone. We actually consider there to be an ambient airbourne fibre level because it would be physically impossible to remove fibres (of any material) in the air around us. When we run air tests it is still perfectly acceptable to find fibres, it’s just that the levels are very, very low.

Honestly I wouldn’t give it a second thought 😊

Show quote history

Sorry to jump on this post but my heslth anxiety is freaking out. My mums getting work done on her 1960s house which includes drilling into walls ans ceilings and replacing losft insulation. Would any of these contain aspestos? If so are we best not to be around there i have 2 young children.