sprayed asbestos, loose fill fibres and packing materials

Spray insulation or spray insulation with asbestos content made of asbestos is considered one of the most dangerous asbestos products of all. The building material has a very high asbestos content and the fibers are very weakly bound, which is why they can be released very easily. Unfortunately, the easy-to-use building material was very often used in hard-to-reach places indoors. Therefore, there is a risk that it will be overlooked during renovation. Especially owners of buildings built before 1979 or last renovated should test suspicious materials in advance to avoid the high risk of asbestos contamination. All you need to do is send a small sample by mail to the CRB analysis laboratory and in a few days you will receive the result.

Our services for you

• analysis for asbestos carried out by qualified scientists in our own accredited laboratory 
• short processing time, as a rule 3 days after sample receipt
• court-proof analysis
• regular participation in collaborative studies in the field of asbestos analysis

Costs for the analysis for asbestos in sprayed asbestos, loose fill fibres

Analysis as material sample according to VDI guideline 3866, page 5 for

€ 62.00 net or € 73.78 VAT incl.

Frequently asked questions about spray asbestos

What is sprayed asbestos?

Sprayed asbestos is a soft mass that has been injected into joints and cracks with a hose or spray gun. The mass becomes hard after drying and serves as insulation. As early as World War II, steel girders were clad with sprayed asbestos as fire protection. The product was preferably used in angled and hard-to-reach places for which cutting insulation boards would have been too complicated or time-consuming. Due to the high asbestos content and the resulting high health risk, sprayed asbestos was one of the first asbestos products to be banned in the Federal Republic of Germany in 1979.

What is the difference between spray asbestos and asbestos-containing tamping compounds?

Similar to sprayed asbestos, tamping compound was used as a soft filling compound for insulation in convoluted and hard-to-reach areas. Tamping compound can also contain asbestos. Unlike spray asbestos, however, the material is more like a type of wool. It has been used since World War II to seal cavities. While sprayed asbestos has been banned since 1979, the use of tamping compound containing asbestos remained permitted until the general ban on asbestos in 1993. Therefore, tamping compound can also be found in buildings constructed or renovated after 1979. Like spray asbestos, tamping compound is considered a weakly bound asbestos product. Nevertheless, in the case of tamping compound, the hazardous asbestos fibers are far more tightly bound into the base material and do not escape quite as easily. Despite the resulting far lower health risk, experts recommend replacing the tamping compound in the medium term.

How can I recognize spray asbestos?

At first glance, it is not possible to tell beyond doubt whether an insulating compound contains asbestos. However, there are some indications: Since spray asbestos was banned as early as 1979, it can only be used in buildings that were built before that date or have not been renovated since. As a weakly bound asbestos product, the asbestos-containing material usually has a fibrous structure and a grayish-green, bluish or grayish-brown color. It was commonly sprayed on the inside of ceilings, walls and roofs. It was also used in exhaust ducts. However, only an asbestos analysis can provide certainty about an asbestos content. Simply send a sample by mail to the CRB analysis laboratory and in a few days the result will reach you by mail or e-mail.

Why is sprayed asbestos so dangerous?

The asbestos content in spray asbestos is usually over 60 percent. It was one of the first asbestos products to be banned back in 1979 due to its harmful properties. One of the reasons for the ban was the extremely weak bond between the asbestos fibers and the base material. Even the smallest vibrations are enough to release a large amount of asbestos fibers into the air. Many workers and craftsmen already showed long-term damage in the early post-war period due to the frequent use of the material. It is therefore considered one of the most dangerous asbestos products of all. Another factor is the widespread use of the product: it was used as sheathing on steel beams as early as the 1940s. Later, spray asbestos was often used to coat the insides of roofs, walls, and flues and ducts. The tiny asbestos fibers increase the risk of cancer when they come into contact with the lungs and can cause the dangerous lung disease asbestosis. Experts therefore urgently advise having sprayed asbestos removed immediately by certified specialist companies.

How must spray asbestos be disposed of?

In Germany, private individuals are not permitted by law to dispose of or transport weakly bonded asbestos products such as spray asbestos due to the high health risk. Specialized companies must have an asbestos certificate based on the TRGS (Technical Rules for Hazardous Substances of the Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs) in order to be allowed to dispose of spray asbestos. In the case of asbestos removal, these specialized companies usually take care of the disposal of asbestos-containing waste at the same time.

What is the cost of spray asbestos remediation?

The cost of asbestos abatement depends on the amount of asbestos-containing building material to be removed and its accessibility. Clients must assume a cost of between 35 to 45 euros per square meter. Since sprayed asbestos very easily releases large quantities of the hazardous fibers, costly measures are required to insulate the affected rooms. If special tools and equipment such as scaffolding or cranes are required for access, further costs in the three- to four-digit range are added. To dispose of the waste, the specialist companies usually rent containers that cost several hundred euros. Last but not least, the hazardous waste landfills charge between 100 and 300 euros per ton for the storage of the waste.

Identification of asbestos intextiles by means of SEM images and energy-dispersive element-spectra