Asbestos was used in thousands of commercial and industrial products throughout the 20th century. The most common categories include insulation materials, construction products, automotive components, shipbuilding materials, and industrial equipment. Workers who manufactured, installed, maintained, or removed these products were exposed to asbestos fibers, often over many years.
Insulation Products
- Pipe insulation and lagging — used on boilers, steam pipes, and hot water pipes
- Boiler insulation — thick asbestos blankets and block insulation
- Spray-on fireproofing — Monokote and similar products from the 1950s–1970s
- Vermiculite insulation (Zonolite) — attic insulation in 35 million American homes, contaminated with tremolite asbestos from the W.R. Grace Libby, Montana mine
- Block insulation — rigid blocks used on boilers and furnaces
Construction Products
- Joint compound (drywall mud) — USG, Bestwall, and others added asbestos for strength and fire resistance
- Floor tiles — 9x9-inch vinyl-asbestos tiles; Armstrong was the largest manufacturer
- Ceiling tiles and panels — acoustic ceiling tiles in schools and offices
- Roofing materials — shingles, felt, and roof coatings
- Siding — cement-asbestos siding on homes and commercial buildings
- Cement pipes and sheets (transite) — water pipes, HVAC ducts, wall panels
Automotive Products
- Brake pads and linings — standard in automotive brakes until the 1990s
- Clutch facings — friction materials
- Gaskets — engine, transmission, and exhaust gaskets
- Heat shields — under hoods and around exhaust systems
Industrial and Marine Products
- Industrial gaskets and packing — Garlock and other manufacturers
- Refractory products — Harbison-Walker refractory bricks and cements
- Shipboard insulation — extensive use aboard Navy vessels from the 1940s–1980s
- Electrical insulation — asbestos wrapping on electrical cables