Asbestos is the name give to a group of minerals that occur naturally in the environment. It has a long history and was probably used 2500 years ago to strengthen clay pots in Finland as well as being woven into shrouds by the Greeks.
Asbestos occurs as a bundle of fibres that can be separated to form a durable thread. It has been used in a number products because it is resistant to fire and corrosion and is a good insulator.
Asbestos can be categorised on the basis of the shape of the fibre. In New Zealand the categories are Crocidolite (or blue asbestos) and amosite (or brown asbestos) which both have straight needle like fibres and chrysotile (or white asbestos) which has curly fibres.
Asbestos has been incorporated into a number of materials. It has been used in cladding, cement products, thermal/acoustic insulation of buildings, heat resistant textiles, decorative coatings on ceilings, thermal insulation for pipes and boilers, floor tiles, brake and clutch friction linings and gaskets.