Historic Chemical Substitutions, Part 1: Asbestos

A four-part series examining monumental efforts to replace highly effective yet harmful chemicals with safer alternatives.

It seems like every day there are more headlines about PFAS, a.k.a “Forever Chemicals”, each one identifying more health risks, more places they've been detected, more bans and more regulations.

From the beginning, Actalent has been following PFAS bans and substitution programs closely in our Q&A series, Forever ... For Now. As a society, it’s clear we know and accept that the health risks associated with PFAS greatly outweigh the benefits.

Now comes the process of replacing them.

The prevalence of “forever chemicals” and our reliance on them — they’ve proven extremely useful and effective in everything from long-lasting cosmetics to heat-resistant firefighting foam — will make the transformation anything but simple.

In fact, the process will require major adjustments, both in how we make and use a multitude of affected products.

The good news is we’ve done this before.

In this series, Historic Chemical Substitutions, we’re examining some of the most successful chemical substitution campaigns in history.

U.S. Navy firefighters dressed head-to-toe in asbestos fire protection suits (1952).

Asbestos-concrete panels being installed during the construction of a wind tunnel for NACA (which later became NASA) (1930).

Hopefully these examples will serve as reminders that we’ve adjusted, innovated and overcome challenges like PFAS before. And in making these changes, we’ve often achieved better outcomes for the greater good — outcomes that may not have been endeavored otherwise.

In Part I, we’ll cover asbestos, one of the oldest and most widely used hazardous material in history.

Asbestos: Organic, Exceptional and Deadly

Nearly every house, school and office building constructed in the United States before 1980 contained asbestos. Unless they’ve been repaired, renovated or remodeled, many of them still may.

What is Asbestos?

Asbestos is a naturally occurring, non-flammable mineral. It’s been used for thousands of years to insulate materials and make them fire-resistant.

Asbestos-concrete panels being installed during the construction of a wind tunnel for NACA (which later became NASA) (1930).

Chrysotile, one of the major forms of asbestos, is fibrous. A versatile substance, it could be spun into thread and made into a fabric, much like cotton or wool, or it could be used in board-like forms and coatings. Those characteristics, along with the relatively low cost and abundance of asbestos, made it very easy to integrate into consumer applications (i.e., oven mitts, curtains) and commercial/industrial applications (i.e., pipe coverings, floor and ceiling tiles, welder’s blankets, fire blankets).

Workers cutting sheets of asbestos roofing. Another worker pushes a wheelbarrow full of asbestos (1918).

Asbestos Exposure and Manufacturing

Manufacturing of asbestos-based products began in the 19th century. Their prevalence peaked between the 1940s and 1970s, having been used mostly in residential and commercial construction during that period.

By the 1970s, however, it was proven and widely accepted that exposure to asbestos fibers was directly causing two deadly lung diseases: mesothelioma (an aggressive cancer) and asbestosis.

Since that discovery, the production and use of asbestos has been broadly restricted in the U.S. and completely banned in many countries throughout the world. In the U.S., asbestos is prohibited in new construction and any asbestos found during repairs or remodeling must be removed under strict abatement protocols.

Effective Asbestos Replacements

Today, we use safer, effective replacements: thermoset plastics, polyurethane foam, fiberglass, and cellulose fiber (recycled material). And even among these materials there continues to be progress, if not perfection, in limiting their health and environmental impacts.

Asbestos, like PFAS, is an example of a highly effective material that was widely used (in the case of asbestos, for centuries), until it was discovered to cause serious health problems. Although asbestos became very difficult to eradicate, successfully stopping it from accumulating further in our homes, schools, offices and environment has been an incredibly important, positive step in the right direction.

Next, in Part II of the Historic Chemical Substitutions series, we’ll explore the history of CFCs (chlorofluorocarbon gas), their extensive use, the profound environmental impact they caused, and the global initiatives that led to their replacement.

Asbestos FAQs

What is asbestos?

Asbestos is a naturally occurring, non-flammable mineral. It has exceptional material properties and has been used for thousands of years. It was highly effective in various applications, particularly fire resistance. Chrysotile, one of the major forms of asbestos, is fibrous. A versatile substance, it could be spun into thread and made into a fabric, much like cotton or wool, or it could be used in board-like forms and coatings.

Where is asbestos most commonly found?

Nearly every house, school and office building constructed in the United States before 1980 contained asbestos.

Is asbestos toxic to humans?

Exposure to asbestos fibers, however, causes two deadly diseases: mesothelioma (an aggressive cancer) and asbestosis.

What are symptoms of asbestos exposure?

Early symptoms of pleural mesothelioma can include pain in the side of the chest or lower back, shortness of breath, cough, trouble swallowing (feeling like food gets stuck), hoarseness and swelling of the face and arms. Asbestosis is a chronic lung disease caused by inhaling asbestos fibers that can cause lung tissue scarring and shortness of breath. Asbestosis symptoms can range from mild to severe, and usually don't appear until many years after initial exposure.

What items contain asbestos?

Its physical properties, low cost and abundance made asbestos very easy to integrate into consumer applications, like oven mitts and curtains, as well as commercial and industrial applications, such as pipe coverings, floor and ceiling tiles, welder’s blankets, and fire blankets.

Is asbestos still used in homes?

Today, asbestos is completely banned in many countries and has been completely replaced by a variety of substances (depending on the application). However, many buildings still contain asbestos, creating both financial and health impacts now and for years to come.

What are PFAS?

PFAS stands for "Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances." These chemicals are carbon chains with fluorine atoms. The carbon-fluorine bond is incredibly strong. That means these chemicals persist and accumulate in the environment, some potentially for hundreds of years. In fact, they last longer than any other synthetic chemical that exists. In cases where larger PFAS do break down, they break down into smaller PFAS that then also persist and accumulate.

Are PFAS the “new asbestos”?

Given the significance of the exposure, impacts and liabilities, some liken the response to PFAS as being similar to that of asbestos. The two are alike in several ways. Asbestos and certain PFAS like teflon have exceptional material properties. Both asbestos and PFAS have been used in extremely important applications, particularly as fire protective materials. Most notably, both pose direct risk to human health and their respective mitigation and cleanups take decades.