TLP too
Pedantic engineering git mode ON
You are correct. Asbsetos, in all its forms, is pretty harmless if you leave it alone. One of the great virtues of the stuff as a building material is that is inert in response to most stimuli. It doesn't burn, it doesn't melt, it doesn't dissolve, it doesn't fail in fatigue, it's inedible, it doesn't snap at low temperatures.
Unfortunately the fibres are toxic, and very difficult to contain when the material is being worked. Hence all the claims aginst the manufacturers (who for the most part were ignorant of the risks when they were incurred), and the extraordinary precautions when demolishing buildings containing asbestos. Even these are frequently unneccessary - asbsetos cement, most commonly found as pipes, gutters and roofing sheet, is inert all the way to the landfill site unless you cut the material in removing it. Cut the bolts / brackets and it comes off as it went on - a bit of a pain to do, but the suits and masks routine is actually completely unneccessary. The dangerous bit is usually where asbestos fibre was used raw as insulation. Disturbing the material inevitably shakes loose microsocopic bits of debris that the unprotected will breathe in and possibly years later have horrible lung diseases, which whether they have anything to do with asbestos or not, will make a good case in court (not wishing to deingrate the claims of those actually affected - asbestosis is a horrible way to die and some sort of a relationship between gypsum and death was known in human conciousness long before Turner & Newall became the (at least partly unknowingly) villians of the piece).
Pedantic engineering git mode OFF
Knock the place down asap. Go for a PFI solution involving booking rooms and taxis in the nearest decent hotel.
Sven
Last edited by Sven Sixtoo; 26th Dec 2006 at 19:51.