Asbestos in the environment

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that was widely used due to its outstanding properties, such as: fire resistance, insulation and chemical resistance.

The fact that there is a considerable health risk from the use of asbestos only became apparent later on, as serious illnesses appeared with a long delay.

For this reason, the production and use of asbestos was not banned in Germany until 1993.

As a result, large quantities of asbestos are still present in existing building materials. This becomes problematic in the case of renovation and disposal, where asbestos fibres can be released or waste containing asbestos must be disposed of properly.

Among other things, we examine chrysotile and amphibole in our specialised laboratories. Chrysotile or white asbestos is the most commonly used type of asbestos in industry. So-called Eternit panels (roof panels) or façade panels contain this type. Amphiboles are a group of minerals that, in contrast to chrysotile, tend not to fray but form fibre bundles.