FAQs – asbestos illness claims
Frequently asked questions
Asbestos is a heat-resistant natural mineral fibre that was commonly used in fire-proofing and insulation products between the 1940s and 1985.
You may have heard it referred to as ‘AC Sheeting’, or perhaps ‘fibro’. Other uses for the material included roofing, motor vehicle parts and pipe lagging. It was also woven into fabric, and mats and some carpets.
Today, it has been largely banned from use in building products, because it has been proven that inhaling asbestos fibres can cause serious illnesses and diseases, including lung cancer.
Although it has been banned from use as a building material, its extensive use before 1985 ensures that asbestos will be part of thousands of Australian lives for many years to come; it is predicted that the number of asbestos sufferers will peak only in 2020.