How was it used and how do you spot it?
Asbestos is a naturally occuring mineral silicate. It is found in 80% of the Earths Crust. There is 2 major families of regulated asbestos fibers. The most regulated is crysotile and amosite. Others include Tremolite (used in cement pipes) actinolite and crocidolite. The last 3 are rare. Amosite was heavily mined in Africa and gained the nickname African Death. But Crysotile is also dangerous (contrary to one of the posts I read above) and it can cause asbestos related disease. Chrysotile is the most used in the USA, Many old mines still exist in california and many are now dumps for the hazards asbestos waste. Both have bans on their usage. in 1973 The US government Baned asbestos use in drywall mud/joint compound and in pipe insulation. in 1978 it was banned in acoustic ceilings. Many more materials that were once manufactured with asbestos have also been banned and are regulated. These materials include Floor tile, ceiling tiles, decortive exterior coatings, air duct insulation, blow-in attic insulation, heat shield, drywall, roof felt, and about a 1,000 other materials. Asbestos can cause various diseases including mesotheliomia, lung cancer, plural plaques, bone caner, emphazema, and more. As besto sis still used in limited application / materials. Most Break pads and clutches still includes a percentage of asbestos. Also it is still used in laboratory filters, electrical generators, roof mastic, and other non-friable (materials that dont release fibers easily). Asbestos is also used in the O rings on the boster rockets of the US space shuttle. Some idiot had the bright idea to use something different than asbestos one time on the O rings. That was when the shuttle blew up on take off when the O ring failed. Almost All people have breathed some asbestos in their lifetime. If you sit at a bus stop or stop and go traffic you have breathed asbestos. But like cigerattes it is dose related. therefore the more ingested the greater the risk for disease.
It is a naturally occurring fibrous silicate mineral popular in manufacturing and industry due to its strength, chemical and thermal stability. It is usually hard to detect, but any lose fibers can correspond to lung diseases. Usually, you can trace back to the builder and see if it was used.
Telstra should have been replacing the pits over a long period of time BEFORE they started to break down a become a health risk. Now they're caught out having allowed them to get to such a state. They'll have to follow the guidelines of safe asbestos removal.
Asbestos is a mineral, a natural material which occurs as a rock. It's a great insulator for heat and electricity. Has a characteristic flaky white appearance and can be made into a paper or cloth-like substance. In buildings it often was used to insulate pipes and electrical wires. Don't go poking around looking for it, as it's generally harmless unless disturbed. Its the dust that kills you when you inhale it. Leave it alone, or paint it with a latex paint to seal it. To remove it, special permits and certifications are needed. Not a homeowner job.
Asbestos is insulation put in walls, ceilings etc. It's very safe if it's in good condition. But if it's broken, banged or drilled very small fibers will come out and if inhaled it will kill you 10 to 20 years later. Or 30 to 40 years later. It's very dangerous stuff but very safe if left alone. Asbestos was removed out of everything and stopped being put into things in the later 80s or early 90s. But loads of buildings, houses and cars etc still contain asbestos. There is 3 types or asbestos. Blue, grey and white. The most deadly one is blue asbestos. If you think you have asbestos then call the asbestos removal team so they can come and investigate. When going in the loft or any loft always have a mask on because that is where it mostly is these days. + asbestos is hard to identify. I know how to identify it by sound. Also if you do break a wall and you see feathery bits, that is asbestos.
