Infrastructure Asbestos

When driving to your next appointment, do you wonder how much asbestos has been used on the roads?  Despite being banned back in 1999 in the UK, there is still plenty around on our roads and rail network, and most is both visible and accessible!

Most modern bridges have expansion joints to account for temperature variation during the seasons, and those of a certain age have asbestos rope as part of that element of the bridge. Notably also on concrete bridges, a number have cement panels hanging from the deck as a form of facade or trim (although I've noted these seem to be in the process of removal, particularly along the M56 exposing the fixing points on the concrete beams). 

Railways have used asbestos cement as trunking along the line for service conduits for many years, and as upgrades occur these are being replaced by modern alternatives. It will certainly be a long time before they have all been replaced though!

Infrastructure also of course requires buildings for various operations, and these contain all the usual materials from cement roofing materials to flashpads in fuse carriers. The main areas here are in transformer / electric control areas where asbestos is still present in a significant number of locations such as AIB ceilings, rope around cables and cement breaker panels inside electrical fittings. Back To List