[Korea] We will inform you about the current status of asbestos use in Korea.

Production of asbestos began in 1918. 1978~1983 was a period when asbestos production increased. Asbestos usage began to decrease in 1995. Asbestos use was completely banned in 2015. What is asbestos? Asbestos is a stone, but it is a light and soft material like cotton. Asbestos is a naturally occurring silicate mineral with a fibrous form. Asbestos is a silicate mineral created when serpentine or hornblende changes into fiber. Asbestos is strong against acidity or alkalinity and does not conduct heat or electricity well, so it was used as a heat-insulating material, fireproofing material, and insulating material. Asbestos is formed when serpentine or hornblende, which is generated by volcanic activity, becomes liquid or cools under the influence of high temperature and pressure. Asbestos is divided into white asbestos in the serpentine series and brown asbestos, blue asbestos, anthophyllite asbestos, actinolite asbestos, and tremolite asbestos in the hornblende series. White asbestos is mainly used in building materials and friction materials. Brown asbestos is mainly used in insulation and roofing materials. Blue asbestos is mainly used in friction materials for automobile brakes. Anthophyllite asbestos is mainly used in tiles because it easily crumbles under external pressure. Tremolite asbestos is rarely used. The characteristics of asbestos are insulation (wire covering material), insulation (safety gloves), fiber (asbestos cloth), wear resistance (automobile brake pads), fire resistance (spray material), and antiseptic (slate roofing). Asbestos substitutes include fiberglass, rock wool, and polyolefin fibers. Asbestos substitutes are used in asbestos cement products such as insulation, fireproofing, friction materials, equipment joints, and ceiling textures.

2024-10-22

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