In 1977, the Consumer Products Safety Commission banned asbestos in
There is no way to know whether these materials contain asbestos without having them tested.
By the 1980s, new drywall products did not contain asbestos. But older drywall materials still present an exposure risk. Workers, homeowners and renters may all face risks when renovating or repairing older buildings.
The Consumer Product Safety Act of 1972 banned asbestos in artificial fireplace embers and wall patching compounds. The Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976 says the EPA can restrict substances including asbestos.
Homes built before the 1980s could expose homeowners, their families and others to asbestos. It may hide in cement, floor tiles, insulation, walls and pipes. Our Guide to Asbestos in the Home can help protect you and others from exposure.
Asbestos is no longer added to popcorn ceilings because it's a known health risk. The chances of your ceiling containing asbestos are low for any installations in the late 1980s or after. Newly constructed ceilings don't use asbestos.
If you think there may be asbestos in your home, don't panic. Asbestos-containing materials that aren't damaged or disturbed are not likely to pose a health risk. Usually the best thing is to leave asbestos-containing material alone if it is in good condition.
Asbestos Risk Management Under TSCA
In March 2024, EPA announced a ban of ongoing uses of chrysotile asbestos to protect people from lung cancer, mesothelioma, ovarian cancer, laryngeal cancer and other health problems caused by asbestos exposure.
Hiring a professional to inspect the property is the only way to be 100% sure about the presence of asbestos.
How Bad Is One-Time Exposure to Asbestos? Usually, one-time asbestos exposure isn't a major risk. However, it can be in rare cases with toxic dust. Typically, asbestos diseases arise from long-term exposure at work.
Drywall dust presents another potential health risk due to silica, a common mineral in rocks and soils, including gypsum. Cutting or sanding drywall releases silica particles into the air. Inhaling large quantities of silica can result in the development of silicosis, a lung disease that can be fatal.
In 1977, the Consumer Products Safety Commission banned asbestos in joint compounds and drywall tape. However, these products may still have been used until 1980 or later from the oversupply that had been purchased prior to the ban. As a result, buildings constructed before 1990 may still contain asbestos in drywall.
One of the most worrying issues with asbestos is that in the event that it does get disturbed, it can be easily released into the air, and remain there for some time. It is thought that disturbed asbestos can stay airborne for as long as 48 to 72 hours before settling.
Homes built before the 1980s likely have asbestos in them. For instance, if these homes have popcorn ceilings or vinyl flooring, they may contain asbestos. A simple rule is the newer a home is, the less likely it has asbestos materials. Homes built before the 1980s are likely to contain the mineral somewhere.
It may take five to 20 years before symptoms develop. The accumulated, inhaled asbestos fibres produce scarring (fibrosis) of the lung. The lung develops a 'honeycomb' appearance. The scar tissue, or 'fibrosis', is hard and inflexible – this makes the lungs stiffen and stops them working properly.
Can asbestos be removed from the lungs? No known method exists to remove asbestos fibers from the lungs once they are inhaled. Some types of asbestos are cleared naturally by the lungs or break down in the lungs.
There is no treatment that can reverse the damage done by asbestos, but certain steps can help slow down progression of the disease and relieve symptoms. Avoiding further exposure to asbestos and other irritants such as cigarette smoke will help slow down the disease from progressing.
Even if asbestos is in your home, this is usually NOT a serious problem. The mere presence of asbestos in a home or a building is not hazardous. The danger is that asbestos materials may become damaged over time. Damaged asbestos may release asbestos fibers and become a health hazard.
N95 masks do not protect against gases, vapors and cannot be used for asbestos, and they do not provide oxygen.
Your older home probably did not come with an inventory of all asbestos containing materials, but if the house in which you live was built before 1980, there's a good chance that you'll find asbestos containing materials in the walls, ceiling, roof or floors – or all of the above.
The only way to be sure whether a material contains asbestos is to have it tested by a qualified laboratory. EPA only recommends testing suspect materials if they are damaged (fraying, crumbling) or if you are planning a renovation that would disturb the suspect material.
Even some homes built during the 1980's may still contain some asbestos in floor tiles, ceilings, pipe cement, and other products and materials. This is because the EPA didn't extend the asbestos ban to include all newly manufactured products until 1989.
If your ceiling tiles have a manufacturing date or if you have documents from the installation, you should check to see if the tiles were made before or after 1989. You can also check to see if the manufacturer ever produced asbestos products. If they did not, you are in the clear regardless of year.