On Feb 26, 11:47*am, "MuddyMike" wrote:
Some 30 years ago

Was that insulation material some kind of nasty blue asbestos?

30 years ago (1980, not 1970) we had sensible policies on asbestos.
Blue had been extinct since the '50s. Brown was disappearing from the
few specialised uses for which it was still useful, although a health
risk. White was being used safely, in well-regulated factories, and
those using it on-site were aware of how to avoid increasing this
risk. This was about as good as it got.

Today we've gone stupid. We panic at the merest trace of white
asbestos safely embedded in a cement matrix, when 35 years ago we'd
have spanked any naughty apprentice who suggested it was a bad idea to
have the stuff blowing in the streets like a snowstorm (look into the
real history of Cyril Smith MP).

If you've got white asbestos in cement, avoid breaking it up any
further and dispose of what you do have through the council's channel.
If you've got fluffy white asbestos, read up the relevant protocols
and deal with it accordingly (really not that hard). If you're
commercial, farm it out to the relevant people, because your need
SAFETY PAPER more than you need safety.