Asbestos Vinyl Floorings – Replacing with Asbestos-Free SPC Floorings
Facts
Why Asbestos was used in Vinyl Materials
Asbestos has a long history of applications in various industries, it was first discovered for its beneficial properties to improve material heat resistance in the late 19th century, and began to be widely used in vinyl products such as vinyl floorings in the mid-20th century. During this period, asbestos was commonly incorporated into vinyl flooring to enhance its strength, durability, and fire resistance.
However in the late 20th century, studies began to link asbestos exposure with major health risks. It is found that there is a close association between respiratory diseases and caner were due to inhaled Asbestos fibers. Therefore many countries, including the United States, has implemented regulations to limit asbestos use since 1970s and 1980s.
Today, asbestos is strictly regulated or banned in most countries due to its hazardous nature. Manufacturers of vinyl products, including vinyl flooring, have adopted asbestos-free compositions to ensure the safety and well-being of consumers. Strict testing and certification processes are in place to verify the absence of asbestos in vinyl products.
How did Asbestos affect the Flooring Industry?
The wide use of asbestos has affected many products from vinyl wallpapers, resilient vinyl flooring sheets, resilient vinyl flooring tiles and linoleum floorings. Even leading brands such as Armstrong and Congoleum were having products associated with Asbestos.
| Manufacturer | Product / Brands |
|---|---|
| Congoleum-Nairn | Flor-Ever Vinyl Fashionflor Cushioned Vinyl Gold Seal Vinyl Inlaids Gold Seal Vinyl Nairon Standard |
| Armstrong World Industries | Excelon Vinyl Asbestos Tiles Solarian Vinyl Asbestos Tiles |
| Kentile Floors | KenFlex Vinyl Floor Tiles |
| Montgomery Ward | Style House Vinyl Asbestos Flooring |
| Sears-Roebuck | Vinyl Asbestos Floor Tiles |
| EverWear | Vinyl Asbestos Floor Tiles |
| GoodYear | Vinyl Tiles |
Companies Associated with Asbestos Vinyl Products
- American Biltrite
- Amtico Floors
- Armstrong World Industries
- Congoleum Corporation
- EverWear
- GAF Corporation
- Goodyear
- Kentile Floors
- Montgomery Ward
- Sears-Roebuck
How to Determine if Your Vinyl Floorings Contain Asbestos
Resilient vinyl floorings that contain asbestos cannot be recognized by sight. It is therefore always safe to assume that any vinyl flooring planks that were produced before 1980s contain asbestos.
Therefore when dealing with floorings that has been there since 1980s, particularly in resilient vinyl sheet floorings, a licensed abatement professional should be involved in removing the floorings. Asbestos can become friable at any age during the removal process, and individuals working on asbestos contained floorings are exposed to respiratory health risks.
In short, the only way to make sure if your floorings contains asbestos is to find a professional laboratory to examine the product. There are laboratory testings that are specifically towards asbestos analysis.
Asbestos-Free SPC Floorings
Today, asbestos is strictly regulated or banned in most countries due to its hazardous nature. Today’s Manufacturers of vinyl products, including vinyl flooring, have adopted asbestos-free compositions to ensure the safety and well-being of consumers. Strict testing and certification processes are in place to verify the absence of asbestos in vinyl products.
It is important to note that while the use of asbestos in vinyl products has significantly decreased, there may still be older buildings or homes that contain vinyl flooring or other vinyl products that were manufactured before asbestos regulations were implemented. In such cases, it is crucial to follow proper safety protocols during renovations or removal to avoid asbestos exposure.
To replace the old vinyl floorings, Asbestos-Free SPC (Stone Plastic Composite) flooring is an excellent options to go for. SPC vinyl floorings are specifically engineered to be free from asbestos. SPC flooring is composed of a mixture of limestone powder, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and stabilizers, without the addition of asbestos or other harmful substances.
Importing Asbestos-Free SPC Floorings from China are as simple as 6 steps with Sreelance. Our SPC floorings are certified with Floorscore and Greenguard Certifications with no contamination of heavy metal, formaldehyde and phthalates. To inquire about sourcing resilient vinyl floorings or laminate floorings from China, please feel free to email info (a t) sreelance.com or Contact Us Here!
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