Asbestos was used in the past because it had useful properties and its hazards were not widely understood. Its useful properties included the fact that it could be woven into cloth like cotton or wool, but it would not burn, or it could be used to make filters. It was a good insulator against heat and it was not attacked by, nor did it react with, most chemicals.
The last year asbestos was used in California was in 1973 when the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) began regulating its use. After the dangers of asbestos became more widely recognized, many states, including California, passed regulations to restrict or ban its use in various industries and products.
Chrysotile asbestos was commonly used in the past for insulation, roofing materials, brake linings, and various other construction materials due to its heat resistance and durability. However, it is now known to be a carcinogen and its use has been significantly reduced to minimize health risks.
Asbestos is not banned, but its uses are limited. If you used asbestos in the 1960s then you used the thing that is still called asbestos.
Asbestos was used in the making of refridgerators and fridges
Asbestos was light, strong, fibrous and did not conduct heat or electricity.
Asbestos (particularly blue asbestos)
Asbestos Abatement is the term used when referring to the removal, renovation, repairing, or enclosing of asbestos or any such activity that involves renovating asbestos containing materials.
Asbestos was used for fire-proofing in the past. It was actually very effective. However, these days it is not commonly used due to adverse health effects caused by inhalation of dust/particles upon removal/damage of the substance, which has been linked to lung cancer.
Asbestos has been used in numerous products in the past, including:sprayed-on fire proofing for steel structural membersbreak padsplasterfloor tileceiling tileinsulation for pipes and boilerspipescement panels used for roofs and wallsspackling compoundstrengthening ingredient in flooring glues (mastic and in glues for roof flashing
Asbestos is not used in today's modern technologies. Currently, most of the Western and Developed world have banned all uses of Asbestos.
Some, but not all, forms of insulation used to contain asbestos. Insulation applied new now does not contain asbestos.
Asbestos is known for a very long time, even the Romans used it.