Asbestos Removal Contractors – What Is Asbestos?

Asbestos describes members of a group of minerals called hydrous magnesium silicates. These minerals, together with their occurrences, uses, and associated hazards, have been discussed in detail by Guthrie and Mossman (1993).

The name is derived from its historical use in lamp wicks; the resistance of asbestos to fire has long been exploited for a variety of purposes. Asbestos was used in fabrics such as Egyptian burial cloths and Charlemagne’s tablecloth (which according to legend, he threw in a fire to clean). Asbestos occurs naturally in many forms (see below); it is mined from metamorphic rocks.

When asbestos is used for its resistance to fire or heat, the fibres are often mixed with cement or woven into fabric or mats. Asbestos has historically been used in brake shoes and gaskets for its heat resistance. It was also used on electric ovens and hotplate wiring utilising another of its benefits; electrical insulation at elevated temperature, and in buildings for its flame-retardant and insulating properties, tensile strength, flexibility, and resistance to chemicals.

The inhalation of some kinds of asbestos fibres, however, can cause various serious illnesses, including cancer. Many uses of asbestos are banned in many countries.

Asbestos has been used extensively in some 500,000 buildings in the UK over the last decades. Where removal is required, ARK Environmental has the infrastructure and expertise to accommodate both small and large multi-million pound projects as one of the largest independent contractors in the UK.