Friable and non-friable asbestos

What are friable asbestos products?

Examples of common friable asbestos products include:

• insulation around hot water pipes
• asbestos rope
• loose-fill asbestos, like Mr Fluffy.

What are non-friable asbestos products?

Examples of common non-friable asbestos products include:

• asbestos cement
• asbestos cement sheeting (also knowns as ‘fibro’)
• vinyl asbestos floor tiles.

How can I identify friable or non-friable asbestos?

Use our Asbestos Checker if you think you may have asbestos in your home or on your work site.

You can’t confirm asbestos by sight or smell. Use a licensed asbestos assessor, who will test the sample to confirm asbestos.

How do I remove friable or non-friable asbestos? 

We always recommend a licensed professional removes asbestos. It is a job that requires training and experience to do safely. 

There are different rules around unlicensed removal of friable and non-friable asbestos. Know what you can and can’t do, and always follow the safety precautions in the SafeWork Code of Practice.