Asbestos
For its fire resistance, as well as a number of other desirable properties, asbestos was a popular construction material throughout much of the twentieth century. Used in both residential and commercial building, asbestos was present in thousands of construction materials. Most of these asbestos-containing materials present no imminent danger because the fibers remained in a state where, under normal conditions, they were not released into the air. Regardless of this, any homeowner or prospective homeowner should be aware of certain materials like vinyl asbestos floor tiles and the backing material on sheet-type vinyl floor covering that can, if disturbed or in disrepair, release asbestos fibers into the air.
The EPA Web site is an easily accessible resource for information on asbestos in the home, and we encourage everyone to visit its asbestos site at: http://www.epa.gov/asbestos.
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