Before its prohibition in 2002, asbestos was used in the construction of various materials. This material can be of two types, friable and non-friable. In this post we explain their differences and why they are dangerous.
What is a friable material
It is a material that can be easily broken down or disintegrated, even when pressed by hand.
In relation to asbestos, friable asbestos contains fibers that are not bound with any other material, so its fibers are easily detached with almost only touching them. On the other hand, non-friable asbestos requires mechanical elements to decompose it, because its fibers are mixed with other materials such as cement.
Non-friable asbestos is usually found in asbestos sheeting, while friable asbestos is usually foam that is placed on a surface.
Why is friable asbestos dangerous?
Although asbestos in general is dangerous, friable asbestos is the most dangerous for human health, since it is a toxic material that is easily detached and adhered to by people.
In the case of non-friable asbestos, the asbestos fibers only spread through the air when the material is broken. This is much more resistant and usually requires a tool or a blow to occur. For this reason, friable asbestos is much more dangerous, as the fibers are melted without the need to break the material.
This is why it is important to carry out a census of asbestos in order to detect this material that is so harmful to all of us.

What this material has been used for
It was used for years as an insulating material in parking lots, boiler rooms, heating ducts… And these, being “service” places, were projected directly onto the surface, leaving it in the open air.
As the friable asbestos fibers dry out over the years, they are easily released and remain suspended in the air we breathe.
Other types of materials are:
- Facade mortar
- Paints
- Insulating materials made of cardboard or cellulose
- Fibers for acoustic and thermal insulation.
How is this type of asbestos removed?
During the removal of friable asbestos materials, safety measures must be extreme and decontamination must be thorough because many more asbestos fibers are released and the risk of inhalation and contamination of surfaces increases.
In order to remove it safely, a process called dynamic confinement must be used. For this, it is important to have an approved asbestos removal company, both to ensure that the removal of friable asbestos is done correctly, avoiding the release of asbestos particles, and to ensure the decontamination of the area after removal.
What to do if friable asbestos is detected?
First of all, we must avoid touching it or trying to remove it. As dangerous as it is to live with this material, the risk and danger will be greater if we try to remove it by our own means.
In order to carry it out, you need adequate and specialized protective equipment, as the particles disperse very quickly and are in the air, so you could become much more intoxicated if you do it anyway.
In addition, due to its dangerousness, the regulations establish that a company specialized in asbestos removal must be called. For this reason, a correct asbestos removal schedule is very important to have everything under control according to current regulations.
In this way, with the necessary training, permits and tools, they will remove it so that it is no longer part of the house and is no longer a risk to people.