Weather Coating

Asbestos in Weather Coating and Other Building Materials

Weather coating may be made from any number of substances. Most often, it is a viscous liquid with the consistency of paint, and it is brushed, rolled or sprayed onto an exterior surface in order to provide some protection from the elements and present corrosion. Marine varnish, resin polymer and acrylic are all forms of weather coating.

Like many building materials manufactured prior to the early 1980s, asbestos fiber was an ingredient in weather coating products. This not only improved the durability of the coating while providing a kind of decorative texture, it also made the surface resistant to flame and corrosive chemicals.

Asbestos weather coating is no longer manufactured in the United States. However, such products are still made and marketed in other countries, and these products do make their way onto U.S. retailer's shelves. One company that continues to produce asbestos weather coating and other materials is GlassCell Isofab Inc., which is headquartered in Quebec.

Other countries in which asbestos construction materials such as weather coating are produced include China, India and Mexico; it was recently estimated that even after 2001, over 100,000 kilograms of asbestos materials came into the U.S. from Mexico in one year.

Hazards Associated with Weather Coating Products

Factory workers who manufactured asbestos weather coating were at risk of being exposed to asbestos on the job and for developing mesothelioma later in life. This is because raw asbestos fibers were used in the production process and filled the air on the factory floor. Once the fiber was contained in the liquid, however, there was little danger for those who worked with it.

Old weather coating that has deteriorated over time may also present a health threat. Unsuspecting workers who sanded and scraped surfaces to which asbestos weather coating as been applied were also at risk. In both cases, the asbestos material had become friable, releasing loose fibers into the local environment where they could be inhaled by workers or residents.

Those who are planning to refinish an exterior surface and are concerned about possible asbestos exposure should contact their state's environmental agency; they can refer you to a lab that can test for the presence of asbestos fibers before you begin work.

Sources

Bowker, Michael. Fatal Deception: The Untold Story of Asbestos (New York: Touchstone, 2003)