Asbestos Tile

Many of the materials tile setters work with - including vinyl, vinyl sheet, rubber or asphalt floor tiles and any associated paper-like backing, mastic, adhesive or glue - may contain asbestos. In fact, if a tile floor was installed before 1980, it is quite probable that the tile and/or adhesive contain asbestos. As an example, studies show that products like 9"x 9" floor tile contain asbestos about 95% of the time. Similarly, acoustic ceiling tile can also contain asbestos. Tile setters who have installed hard tile to floors, ceilings, and roof decks before 1980 or currently work with or around such materials are in danger of inhaling deadly asbestos fibers, released into the air as fine particulates whenever these tiles are sawed, scraped, sanded, drilled, cut, renovated or removed. Dusting, vacuuming or sweeping such material can also disturb and make airborne these tiny asbestos particles. Age, heat, weather, and water can further weaken asbestos tiles to the point where toxic asbestos dust can become airborne as it crumbles, is pulverized or reduced to powder. Even minor repairs made without use of protective gear can lead to the release (and inhalation) of asbestos dust into the air. A lack of proper ventilation in enclosed work spaces often exacerbates the dangers of such labor.

Some archaeologists believe that ancients made shrouds of asbestos, wherein they burned the bodies of their kings, in order to preserve only their ashes, and prevent them being mixed with those of wood or other combustible materials commonly used in funeral pyres. Others assert that the ancients used asbestos to make perpetual wicks for sepulchral or other lamps. A famous example is the golden lamp asbestos lychnis, which the sculptor Callimachus made for the Erechtheion. In more recent centuries, asbestos was indeed used for this purpose. Although asbestos causes skin to itch upon contact, ancient literature indicates that it was prescribed for diseases of the skin, and particularly for the itch. It is possible that they used the term asbestos for soapstone, because the two terms have often been confused throughout history.

I actually do read every single comment, and about four or five people mentioned asbestos. But I was just already in the mindset of relying on what the house inspector said. Plus, when I saw that they were just completely loose, and then I saw that there were boards underneath, I just kind of got carried away. 

First of all you crack me up how plucking up a couple of tiles ended up being the whole floor! It sounds like something I would do…I dug up the tiles in my kitchen almost half a year ago and still haven’t decided what to put down. Anyway…I think you probably stirred up more “god only knows what” by ripping up the carpeting than popping up those tiles. Your only concern now is disposal of the tiles..especially if they are asbestos. I hope they’re not so you can just toss them. I hate to say it but I would still probably just toss them and plead ignorance..it’s bliss right? But you, however, being the responsible blogger you are will do the right thing…I’m sure. Wishi!ng you luck

Asbestos production began in the Urals of the Russian Empire in the 1880s, and in the Alpine regions of Northern Italy with the formation in Turin of the Italo-English Pure Asbestos Company in 1876, although this was soon swamped by the greater production levels from the Canadian mines. Mining also took off in South Africa from 1893 under the aegis of the British businessman Francis Oates, the Director of the De Beers company. It was in South Africa that the production of amosite began in 1910. The U.S. asbestos industry had an early start in 1858, when fibrous anthophyllite was mined for use as asbestos insulation by the Johns Company, a predecessor to the current Johns Manville, at a quarry at Ward's Hill on Staten Island, New York. US production began in earnest in 1899, with the discovery of large deposits in the Belvidere Mountain.

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