Non Asbestos Sheeting

Historically in the UK, Asbestos was used in various forms, generally to create heat resistant sealing between metal surfaces. Since as early as 1900, the deadly disease Asbestosis had been identified. It was not until  late 1960’s, after the first personal injury claim in 1967, that industry became more aware of the health issues surrounding this material and in 1970 imposed both a regulatory use of and voluntary ban on the more lethal, blue asbestos fibre.

The white asbestos material used for gasketing, Compressed Asbestos Fibre (CAF)  was deemed to be ‘safe’ as the fibres were enclosed in a rubber binder, and were not of the ‘more deadly’ blue and brown asbestos. It was not until legislation in 1999 actually banned the use of all asbestos, that ‘Non-Asbestos’ (CNAF) sheeting materials became the norm.

The major difference between the two materials is heat resistance – asbestos sheeting would certainly operate happily in temperatures of 400°C and above – the majority of the non-asbestos versions work at a maximum of 350°C.