Is asbestos still used today?
No. The UK banned blue and brown asbestos in 1985 and white asbestos in 1999 — nothing built or refurbished since contains new asbestos. But millions of buildings built before the ban still hold it, which is why surveys, testing and removal remain everyday work.
Why was asbestos used so much?
Because it was extraordinary at its job: fireproof, insulating, strong, chemical-resistant and cheap. It went into thousands of products from cement and boards to coatings and gaskets — the properties that made it useful are the same reason it lasts so long in buildings now.
Is asbestos banned everywhere?
No. The UK, EU and dozens of countries have full bans, but asbestos is still mined and used in parts of the world today. That’s worth knowing when buying imported goods — and it’s why UK law focuses on managing what’s already in our buildings.
Can a house built after 2000 contain asbestos?
Effectively no — the 1999 ban means post-2000 UK builds are considered asbestos-free, and surveys usually aren’t needed. The caution is renovation debris or reused older materials; anything genuinely suspect can be tested for £125 for certainty.
