Put simply, Friable and non friable are different categories of asbestos. Friable asbestos materials are easy to crush into dust like drywall, pipe insulations, and popcorn ceilings. On the other hand, non-friable asbestos materials like flooring, asbestos putty wrap, and asbestos-containing mastic, are not able to be made into dust by hand pressure. The difference between friable and non-friable asbestos has an impact on the risk of fiber release of damaged asbestos or materials being removed. While all asbestos should be treated with caution, friable materials are generally more risky if handled improperly.
Over 3,000 building products contain asbestos. Asbestos comes in many shapes, sizes, types, percentages, and “friability”. Friable asbestos is considered more risky because of the fibers that can become airborne. Asbestos is a carcinogen and is under regulation by US and state governments.
The only way to know for sure is to collect a sample and have a laboratory analysis of the material. However, it is possible to visually identify certain materials that are likely to contain asbestos.
