Asbestos was once used in Australia in more than 3,000 different products including fibro, flue pipes, drains, roofs, gutters, brakes, clutches and gaskets.

Asbestos becomes a health risk when its fibres are released into the air and breathed in. Breathing in asbestos fibres can cause asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma.

• The risk of contracting these diseases increases with the number of fibres inhaled.
  
• The risk of lung cancer from inhaling asbestos fibres is greater if you smoke.
  
• Those who get health problems from inhaling asbestos have usually been exposed to high levels of asbestos for a long time. Symptoms don’t usually appear until 20 to 30 years after initial exposure.
  

A total ban on asbestos came into effect in Australia on 31 December 2003. It is illegal to make it, use it or import it from another country.

Workers must not handle asbestos unless they have been trained and hold a licence that is current and appropriate for the type of work being done.