# Asbestos in drywall and joint compounds.



## andeeznuts (Feb 21, 2008)

I just had a customer ask me if there is asbestos in drywall or joint compound and I gave them and answer of NO. But then i went and googled it a sure enough there was in the mid 80's and earlier so any thoughts on this and why its not addressed by the EPA or maybe it is and 
I really missed something.


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## Big Shoe (Jun 16, 2008)

andeeznuts said:


> I just had a customer ask me if there is asbestos in drywall or joint compound and I gave them and answer of NO. But then i went and googled it a sure enough there was in the mid 80's and earlier so any thoughts on this and why its not addressed by the EPA or maybe it is and
> I really missed something.


I used to know alot of finishers......................... R.I.P. 

Yes ,they used it, sanded it, who knew?

Watch out for pre 1980 popcorn. It has asbestos in it. I always ask for year built before I scrape any off. Had a job I told them we needed to test it.........never got that job.

I don't think you missed anything.


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## BrandConst (May 9, 2011)

Good advice big shoe. Always cya and figure a few hundred for an asbestos survey when it comes to early 80's or pre 80's demo.


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## AARC Drywall (May 11, 2008)

We deal with a lot of ins. jobs, and they test the drywall well before we get there.


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## tedanderson (May 19, 2010)

> ...so any thoughts on this and why its not addressed by the EPA or maybe it is and I really missed something.


From what I read many years ago, the EPA has several guidelines when it comes to determining the dangers of asbestos. One of them has to do with the amount of dust that's created when it's disturbed and the actual amount of asbestos fibers (ppm) in the dust. 

Secondly, even though I can't verify the accuracy the source, I read about how there are different varieties of asbestos where the type that is used in industrial factories and shipyards are the ones that cause cancer compared to other types which are used around the piping in homes and drywall.

And even when I was in grade school during the mid to late 80's.. back when everyone was aware of the dangers, we still had many asbestos based products in the school building. 

In the science lab, we had an asbestos sheet that we would use to heat up liquids without putting the liquid directly against the beaker.

In shop class (called 'industrial arts') when we were learning how to sweat copper, the teacher gave us an asbestos cloth so that we don't burn the 2x4 framing or the other materials that surrounded the joint.

I even remember when guys in the auto shop were doing brake jobs, they would use the compressed air to blow away the brake dust and walk around the shop in the big fog of dust like it was no big deal.

But then again, it makes me ask how much I really trust my government when they've known about the dangers of asbestos since the 1930's but didn't say anything about it until the 80's.


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## mbryan (Dec 6, 2010)

We don't manufacture any acm compound in America. Canada has less stringent laws than we do so they use it. If we buy from Canada than it can have it in it. Any imported material can still have it today. 

We test everything every time. Yeah it sucks to do but its what we have to do.


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## kburk (Aug 26, 2008)

> mbryant We don't manufacture any acm compound in America. Canada has less stringent laws than we do so they use it. If we buy from Canada than it can have it in it. Any imported material can still have it today.



That's funny sh$! Like we use Asbestos in Canada!! In our Mud maybe as sugar in our coffee! WOW! REALLY:blinkUDE!

In the USA 
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has no general ban on the use of asbestos. However, asbestos was one of the first hazardous air pollutants regulated under Section 112 of the Clean Air Act of 1970, and many applications have been forbidden by the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).

*The Canadian Environmental Law Association* is calling for broad support for banning asbestos across the US and Canada. The CELA endorsed a statement, The North American Declaration -- issued in Washington DC by the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization and the Canadian Voices of Asbestos Victims -- which calls on Canadian Prime Minister Harper and US President Obama to take immediate steps to prevent further production or export of asbestos. 

So guys your in the SAME BOAT as Canada.

Every time we do restoration work that has the chance for asbestos
we get it tested. It takes 4-12 hours and cost $56 bucks

Cheap if you ask me! 
Protect yourself! its out there the biggest thing is Asbestos was used as a binder that's when its bad! it was used in a lot of products!


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## griz (Nov 26, 2009)

I don't recall the drywall testing positive for asbestos...:thumbsup:

It was always the mud...


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## mrcharles (Sep 27, 2011)

http://www.cbc.ca/thenational/indepthanalysis/story/2010/06/28/national-asbestos.html



Pretty eye opening stuff if anyone is interested


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