Asbestos Containing Materials Commonly Found in Schools

This list provides a guide to types of products that commonly contained asbestos prior to 1980. To find out if the materials in your school actually contain asbestos, samples may be taken or sent to a certified asbestos laboratory for identification. Since asbestos fibers are microscopic, any samples taken should be done so by licensed asbestos abatement professionals to avoid any exposure.

Here is a list of some materials likely to contain asbestos:

• Adhesives
• Base Flashing
• Caulking
• Ceiling Tiles
• Cement Pipes, Siding, and Wallboard
• Chalkboards
• Electrical panels and cloth
• Fire-proofing materials
• Floor tiles
• Gaskets
• Heating and Electrical Ducts
• Insulation 
  • boiler 
  • breaching
  • cut
  • pipe
  • sprayed-on
  • electric wiring
• Joint, Spackling and Taping Compounds
• Mastics
  • floor and ceiling tile
  • carpet
• Packing Materials
• Roofing Shingles and Felt
• Textured Paints
• Wallboard

Anyone performing any kind of work that involves these materials, particularly in schools built before 1980, should take all precautions to prevent unwanted exposure to asbestos. If ACMs are known to be present, a licensed abatement professional is required to perform inspections, removal and disposal, or encapsulation.