Asbestos

Classification

Carcinogenicity, Category 1A; STOT repeated exposure, Category 1 (respiratory system); Germ cell mutagenicity, Category 2 (Japanese government GHS classification)

Hazard statements

• H350 May cause cancer.
• H372 Causes damage to the respiratory system through prolonged or repeated exposure.
• H341 Suspected of causing genetic defects.

Key precautionary statements

• P201 Obtain special instructions before use.
• P202 Do not handle until all safety precautions have been read and understood.
• P260 Do not breathe dust.
• P264 Wash hands thoroughly after handling.
• P270 Do not eat, drink or smoke when using this product.
• P280 Wear protective gloves, protective clothing and eye protection.
• P308+P313 IF exposed or concerned: Get medical advice or attention.
• P501 Dispose of contents and container in accordance with local regulations.

Check the safety data sheet for any product that may contain asbestos. OSHA also requires its own warning wording on signs and waste labels (see Regulations).

Limits count fibers longer than 5 µm with a length-to-width ratio of at least 3:1, taken as personal breathing-zone samples. OSHA's PEL is 0.1 fiber per cubic centimeter of air (f/cc) as an 8-hour TWA, plus an excursion limit of 1.0 f/cc averaged over 30 minutes. These apply under 29 CFR 1910.1001 (general industry) and 29 CFR 1926.1101 (construction). NIOSH treats asbestos as a potential occupational carcinogen and recommends 0.1 f/cc. The ACGIH TLV is 0.1 f/cc (respirable fibers) as an 8-hour TWA. NIOSH has not set an IDLH. The New Jersey Department of Health notes there may be no safe level of exposure, so keep exposure as low as possible and confirm it with air monitoring. State OSHA plans may set different limits.

• Appearance: Fibrous solid; white or greenish (chrysotile), blue (crocidolite) or gray-green (amosite). Found in older insulation, pipe lagging, floor tiles, roofing, cement sheet and friction products
• Fiber types: Chrysotile (serpentine group) and the amphiboles amosite, crocidolite, tremolite, actinolite and anthophyllite
• Odor: Odorless
• Molecular weight: Varies
• Boiling point: Decomposes
• Melting point: 1112°F (600°C), decomposes
• Flash point: Not applicable (noncombustible solid)
• Explosive limits: Not applicable
• Vapor pressure: 0 mmHg (approx.)
• Water solubility: Insoluble

Inhalation

Breathing airborne fibers is the main hazard. Exposure causes no immediate symptoms, so it can go unnoticed. Disease usually appears many years later; asbestosis can develop 7 to 30 years after exposure.

Skin

Not absorbed through the skin. Fibers on skin, hair and clothing can spread to clean areas and be carried home, which is why OSHA requires change rooms and showers.

Eyes

Fibers irritate the eyes.

Ingestion

Swallowed fibers have been linked to cancer of the gastrointestinal tract.

Target organs

Lungs and respiratory system, eyes

Long-term effects

Asbestosis is scarring of the lungs that causes shortness of breath, reduced lung function and clubbing of the fingers, and can lead to disability and death. Asbestos causes lung cancer and mesothelioma (a cancer of the lining of the chest or abdomen), and EPA also cites cancers of the larynx and ovary. IARC classifies all forms of asbestos as Group 1, carcinogenic to humans. Like crystalline silica, the damage is permanent, which is why exposed workers need medical surveillance.

Gloves

The New Jersey Department of Health lists nitrile or natural rubber gloves. Dispose of them as asbestos waste.

Eyes and face

Safety glasses with side shields or goggles. OSHA requires eye or face protection where eye irritation is possible.

Respiratory

Disposable filtering facepiece respirators (dust masks) may not be used for asbestos. Under OSHA, air-purifying respirators must have HEPA filters, and employers must provide a powered air-purifying respirator (PAPR) on request when it gives enough protection. NJDOH lists a negative-pressure respirator with N100, R100 or P100 filters above 0.1 f/cc and supplied air above 1 f/cc. NIOSH lists a pressure-demand SCBA or supplied-air respirator for any detectable concentration. Run a full respiratory protection program under 29 CFR 1910.134.

Clothing

Full-body disposable coveralls (Tyvek or equivalent) with head and foot coverings, provided at no cost above the limits. Never shake or blow fibers off clothing. Remove PPE in a change room and bag it in sealed, labeled, impermeable bags.

Do not disturb material that may contain asbestos until it has been tested. In buildings built in 1980 or earlier, OSHA treats thermal system insulation and surfacing material as presumed asbestos-containing material unless shown otherwise.

Set up marked regulated areas and limit entry to authorized workers. Keep material wet with water and a surfactant, enclose the work, and use local exhaust ventilation with HEPA filtration. Do not clean with compressed air, do not sand asbestos flooring, and only dry sweep or shovel where vacuuming and wet cleaning are not feasible. Put waste in sealed, impermeable, labeled bags or containers.

Keep away from

• No chemical incompatibilities are reported. The main precaution is to avoid any action that breaks or abrades the material and releases fibers.

• Keep unprotected people out. NJDOH suggests an initial isolation distance of 25 meters (75 feet).
• Wear a respirator (not a disposable dust mask), coveralls, gloves and eye protection.
• Wet the material with water and surfactant or collect it with a HEPA-filtered vacuum. Do not dry sweep or use compressed air.
• Place debris in sealed, impermeable, labeled containers. It may need to be handled as regulated or hazardous waste under state rules.
• Larger releases should be handled by trained asbestos abatement workers, licensed where the state requires it.
• For transport incidents, refer to ERG Guide 171.

Suitable extinguishing media

• Use the agent best suited to the surrounding fire (asbestos does not burn)

Special hazards

Not flammable or explosive. Fire, hose streams and collapse can break up asbestos-containing materials and release fibers, so firefighters should wear SCBA and decontaminate gear afterwards.

• OSHA Hazard Communication (29 CFR 1910.1200): Hazardous chemical; labels, safety data sheets and worker training required.
• OSHA Asbestos, general industry (29 CFR 1910.1001): PEL 0.1 f/cc TWA and 1.0 f/cc 30-minute excursion limit, exposure monitoring, regulated areas, PPE, hygiene facilities, and medical surveillance for workers at or above either limit. Signs read DANGER / ASBESTOS / MAY CAUSE CANCER / CAUSES DAMAGE TO LUNGS / AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY. Exposure records are kept at least 30 years and medical records for the length of employment plus 30 years.
• OSHA Asbestos, construction (29 CFR 1926.1101): Same PEL and excursion limit for renovation, demolition and abatement work.
• EPA TSCA chrysotile asbestos rule (Federal Register, March 28, 2024; effective May 28, 2024): Prohibits chrysotile asbestos in chlor-alkali diaphragms, sheet gaskets, oilfield brake blocks, aftermarket automotive brakes and linings, other vehicle friction products and other gaskets, with phase-outs of up to 12 years for some chlor-alkali plants. The rule is under challenge in the Fifth Circuit (Texas Chemistry Council v. EPA, No. 24-60193); oral argument was held June 1, 2026, and no decision had been reported in the sources reviewed for this entry. Check EPA for current status.
• CERCLA hazardous substance (40 CFR 302.4): Reportable quantity 1 lb (0.454 kg).
• DOT Hazardous Materials (49 CFR 172.101): Class 9. UN2212 (amphibole asbestos: amosite, tremolite, actinolite, anthophyllite, crocidolite) and UN2590 (chrysotile); NA2212 is used for domestic shipments. ERG Guide 171.

• NIOSH Pocket Guide: Asbestos
• OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1001 Asbestos
• NJ Department of Health Hazardous Substance Fact Sheet: Asbestos
• NITE (Japan) GHS classification: Asbestos
• Federal Register: EPA Asbestos Part 1 Chrysotile Asbestos final rule (March 28, 2024)
• ADAO: EPA Part 1 rule litigation timeline
• 40 CFR Part 302 (CERCLA reportable quantities)
• CAMEO Chemicals: UN/NA 2212 Asbestos
• IARC Monographs Volume 100C: Arsenic, Metals, Fibres and Dusts