Asbestos containing materials can be classified into one of three types: sprayed or trowelled-on material, Thermal System Insulation (TSI), or miscellaneous materials.

1- Sprayed or trowelled-on materials used on ceilings or walls: This surfacing material is found as a white, popcorn textured decorative, acoustical, and fire proofing cover in homes, buildings, and schools.

2- TSI: Here asbestos is often found as plaster cement wrap around boilers, on water and steam pipe elbows, tees, fittings, and pipe runs. Asbestos is also found on duct systems, and as a cardboard type of material (called aircell) found on steam pipe runs.

3- Miscellaneous material: This includes all materials containing asbestos which were not included in the above groups. For example: floor tile, sheet rock, ceiling tiles, automotive friction products, rubber tile matting, rubber stair treading and risers, auditorium acoustical panels and sound proofing, gasket material, stage curtains, roofing materials, transite siding, caulking, cement pipe, kiln insulation, electrical panel insulation and wiring, fire brick, tar, and others.

These suspect materials (materials which may contain asbestos) are found in either a friable (can be crushed or crumbled by hand pressure) or a non-friable state.

HOW MANY PUBLIC AND COMMERCIAL (P&C) BUILDINGS ARE THOUGHT TO CONTAIN ASBESTOS?

Asbestos containing materials have been used extensively in many public and commercial buildings in the United States. In 1988 the EPA published a survey of 3.6 million P&C buildings. The EPA survey gave the following data showing the extent of asbestos use in public and commercial buildings:

1- Friable asbestos was found in 733,000 buildings (20%).

2- Sprayed or trowelled on ACM was present in 192,000 buildings (5%).

3- Thermal System Insulation (TSI) was found in 563,000 buildings (16%).

4- 501,000 buildings (14%) contained damaged ACM.

5- 184,000 buildings (5%) contained moderately damaged ACM.

6- 317,000 buildings (9%) contained severely damaged ACM.

Of the 733,000 public and commercial buildings containing friable asbestos, the following was found:

1- 511,000 buildings (70%) were private, non-residential structures.

2- 208,000 buildings (28%) were apartments with ten or more units.

3- 14,000 buildings (2%) were Federal Buildings.

The Utah Department of Health also performed a survey to determine the number of state-owned buildings in Utah that contained friable asbestos material. The 1986 report estimates that of 499 buildings surveyed, thirty seven percent contained some form of friable asbestos. The state survey supports the findings of the EPA. This suggests that a significant number of the 32,000 (1990) buildings in Utah contain ACM.