ETERNIT

'Eternit' is a brand of roofing and paneling material made of fibres and cement, commonly called fiber-cement board.
Originally, the fibres were made of asbestos and the material was commonly used as siding in house building due to its low cost, fire-resistance, light weight, and other properties. After the discovery of asbestos's extremely high carcinogenic toxicity, its use is now prohibited in some countries. However, it is still sold "under the counter" in some places, especially in coastal areas where Eternit stands the climate much better than other materials. Today, Eternit and other manufacturers of fiber-cement board now produce asbestos-free panels.^[1][2]
How the Eternit in use should be handled differs from country to country. In the USA most scientists advise removing it from residential housing by a specialized technician.

Contents

In South Africa

References

In South Africa

In South Africa the use of asbestos in the building industry became widespread when a factory was built by Everite at Brakenfell near Cape Town to manufacture asbestos-cement roofing and other fibre-cement products. The roof of the factory was manufactured with the newly installed machinery.
The use of asbestos in the manufacturing of fibre-cement products has also been discontinued by Everite and a new cement-based composite material Nutec has replaced the old product range. The use and handling of asbestos in South Africa is well regulated and many asbestos-cement roofs and pipelines are completely safe to retain, provided that precautions are taken when drilling or cutting these materials.
The use and disposal of asbestos-wool insulation in ceilings, partitions and power stations is very hazardous and requires expert treatment.

References

1. Eternit 100 years Eternit AG Retrieved on 6 August, 2007
2. International Publications The Tragedy of Asbestos Retrieved on 6 August, 2007