This page assists in the recognition of transite pipe used for chimneys or heating flues and discusses potential hazards of this material when it is found in buildings. Transite pipe is an asbestos-cement product which was used for both HVAC ducts and for chimney or flue material to vent gas-fired appliances. In use as a gas-fired appliance chimney/vent transite pipe may have been classed as a type "B" flue vent which required 1" clearance from combustibles.
Asbestos is the generic name for six naturally occurring minerals that have been used in commercial products for their strength, flexibility, low electrical conductivity, and resistance to heat and chemicals. It is composed of silicon, oxygen, hydrogen, and various metals.
Asbestos can be divided into two basic groups, serpentine and amphibole, which differ in their physical characteristics. Serpentine asbestos develops in a layered or tiered form, whereas amphibole asbestos has a chain–like structure.
Crocidolite asbestos is a form of asbestos known to cause mesothelioma. Crocidolite asbestos is an amphibole. Its structure is similar to that of chrysotile in that it occurs as finely textured hair-like fibers that occur in naturally formed bundles. Crocidolite fibers are somewhat brittle but are flexible enough usually to bend beyond 90 degrees before breaking. These fibers are commonly curved, but straight fibers and bundles are also found. In crocidolite iron is the predominant mineral over magnesium and aluminum.
Chrysotile asbestos is a type of asbestos known to cause mesothelioma. It is found in serpentine rock and is sometimes called serpentine. Chrysotile asbestos, or serpentine, is a polymorphous, magnesium-rich mineral that is typically found in metamorphic rocks. It can be non-fibrous or fibrous. In its non-fibrous state it is known as lizardite and antigorite, and in its fibrous state it is called chrysotile. Chrysotile fibers may be found in several forms that result from sheetlike crystals that have curled into tightly rolled tubes.
Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that is found throughout 2/3 of the earth's crust. The fibers are stirred up by erosion and carried by the wind. Residents of the area therefore can be exposed to asbestos fibers. Asbestos is also found in ground water near asbestos mines. Residents in these areas drink water that contains asbestos, but ingested asbestos is not hazardous to health.
Asbestos is a group of six fibrous minerals that occur naturally in metamorphic deposits located around the world. Of the hydrous magnesium silicate variety, the six types include tremolite asbestos, actinolite asbestos, anthophyllite asbestos, chrysotile asbestos, amosite asbestos and crocidolite asbestos. Asbestos is a chemically inert mineral that is fire resistanct and does not conduct heat or electricity (making it a commonly used insulator), is insoluble and is without odor.
- pipe and duct insulation
- building insulation
- wall and ceiling panels
Uses of asbestos include a wide range of products, primarily for heat and sound insulation, roofing and flooring. Some of the most common asbestos uses were:
Asbestos can be found in vinyl sheet flooring or vinyl floor tiles, but it is also found in vinyl wallpaper. Asbestos was added to these products to strengthen them, make them resistant to scratching and scuffmarks, and to make them more resistant to humidity. Asbestos in vinyl seemed like a good idea decades ago, before the link between asbestos and cancers (including mesothelioma) was established.
In Homes, Schools, and Offices
Information About United States Gypsum Company's Plan of Reorganization and Plan Voting Information for Asbestos Personal Injury Claimants
