01. Asbestos Use in Cement Sheets
Why Was Asbestos Used in Cement Sheets?
For decades, asbestos was added to cement sheets for strength, flexibility and heat resistance. In the United States, asbestos cement sheets were commonly used in building construction. The products were often used in roofing and siding.
Asbestos cement sheeting was popular because it was easier to handle than heavy cement and more moldable for different uses. Asbestos also made cement sheets more durable and resistant to heat and weather conditions.
However, asbestos products pose a significant health threat. As materials age, get replaced or renovated, asbestos cement sheets may release airborne asbestos fibers. Inhaling or ingesting asbestos fibers can lead to serious diseases, like mesothelioma cancer.
Asbestos Cement Sheets History at a Glance
- Other Names: AC sheet, asbestos board, asbestos cement board, asbestos cladding, asbestos panel, asbestos roofing, asbestos sheets, fibrous cement sheet, roof sheets
- Years of Manufacture: Early 1900s – Present
- Military Use: Barracks, buildings, equipment
- Places Used: Commercial and residential construction, oven linings, roofing, siding, vault linings, tabletops
- Asbestos Use Banned: No
- Noteworthy Brands: GAF Corporation, Johns-Manville, Keasbey & Mattison Company, National Gypsum Company
A Brief Timeline of Asbestos Use in Cement Sheets
Some of the earliest product records of asbestos cement sheets in the U.S. come from Keasbey & Mattison Company. In 1907, the company began to manufacture and sell asbestos cement sheets from its factory in Ambler, Pennsylvania. The company branded these products as Ambler Asbestos Sheets.
Process innovations in 1910 led to more widespread manufacturing and use of asbestos cement sheets in the U.S.
By the 1950s, other large companies like National Gypsum began to introduce asbestos cement sheets to their product lineups. National Gypsum added various corrugated cement sheets and asbestos panel products to its popular Gold Bond brand.
U.S. agencies began to introduce asbestos regulations in the 1970s. By 1985, most U.S. companies had ceased using asbestos in cement sheets. However, the products are still made around the world. In some cases, asbestos sheets may still be imported into the U.S.
As of 2017, more than 90% of global asbestos use was in asbestos cement sheets and pipes. Because they were so widely used, cement sheets may still be present in some homes and buildings. Old asbestos cement sheets may put residents and workers at risk of asbestos exposure.
Dangers of Asbestos in Cement Sheets
As a result of exposure to asbestos sheets, many individuals have developed asbestos-related diseases. Residents and workers are the most at risk of exposure to asbestos sheets. These diseases include asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma, among others.
In several studies, researchers documented a connection between asbestos cement workers and health risks.
For example, researchers studied 6,931 employees at an asbestos cement plant in New Orleans. The study found long-term exposure was linked to higher rates of lung cancer and mesothelioma among employees at the plant.
Asbestos cement sheets are no longer produced in the U.S. However, asbestos is still used in cement sheets in some countries. A 2021 Korean study analyzed the Excess Lifetime Cancer Risk (ELCR) of residents of corrugated asbestos cement roofed houses. The study authors rated the risk of asbestos exposure from living in or demolishing these homes as medium. However, the authors also highlighted that there is “no threshold for carcinogenicity related to asbestos” and that more studies on this exposure were needed.
Cement sheets imported from other countries may still contain asbestos, which continues to put individuals at risk.
02. List of Asbestos Cement Sheets
List of Asbestos Cement Sheets
A variety of asbestos cement products were used in the construction industry. These products were commonly made by mixing chrysotile asbestos fibers with cement. Workers would then mold the mixture into sheet form.
Asbestos sheets were used in roofs, walls, tabletops and siding. Various types of cement sheets were made with asbestos.