Asbestos

Asbestos can cause a number of diseases, including lung cancer, mesothelioma (a cancer of the lining of the lung or abdomen) and asbestosis (stiffening of the lungs).

The risk of developing an asbestos ­related disease depends on the total number of fibres inhaled, the length of time of exposure and how often you are exposed. Most people who have developed asbestos ­related diseases have had high exposures from working with asbestos and/or asbestos products.

Some people have developed an asbestos­r elated disease after renovating a home containing asbestos. In most of these cases renovations were done prior to the asbestos prohibition and few precautions were taken.

Visit the National Asbestos Exposure Register (external site) if you wish to record a past exposure to asbestos

You cannot sell any asbestos cement products.

The three main types of commercial asbestos used in WA are:

• chrysotile (white asbestos)
• amosite (brown asbestos)
• crocidolite (blue asbestos).

Asbestos cement products were commonly manufactured in WA from 1921 to 1987. If your asbestos cement products (such as fence or roofing) were installed before the mid-1980s then it is highly likely they contain asbestos and should be treated as such. If products were installed between the mid-1980s and 1990 then it may contain asbestos and may be worth testing before disturbing.

Chrysotile continued to exist in a few products, such as brake linings and industrial products, until 2003 when there was a total ban on the manufacture, use, reuse, import, transport, storage or sale of all forms of asbestos.