"Peter Parry" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 26 Aug 2004 13:13:44 +0100, "mike. buckley"
wrote:


Hmm, have a google for asbestos cement and then decide whether it's
"harmless". General consensus seems to be that it contains 10-15%
asbestos fibre, and can be pretty nasty stuff.

It is 10-15% Chrysotile - white asbestos - you breath dozens of
fibres of it every day. The only recorded harm caused by Chrysotile
is amongst those who have worked in atmospheres laden with it for
decades.

Absolutely wrong. Chrysotile causes mesothelioma. I don't know quite where
you believe harm is "recorded" but there are numerous claims every year from
plumbers, carpenters and decorators who have contracted mesothelioma due to
exposure 10 or more years ago to (relatively) small quantities of chrysotile
eg when sawing panels or removing asbestos guttering. The epidemic is a
growing one.

A concise summary of the health hazards of asbestos can be found at
http://www.parliament.uk/commons/lib...9/rp99-081.pdf