When was asbestos used in brakes

Asbestos give braking properties can be used at low speed or at an early stage but when the speed is higher braking efficiency will decrease quickly and most importantly, the service life will be short. The disc brake pads run out quickly. In addition, asbestos affects health. Currently, there is less use or banned in many countries since asbestos is dangerous for handling due to health hazards and environmental impact.

Since asbestos is hazardous to health. Therefore, there is scope for replacement and brake pads manufacturers were invested and developed technology have proposed materials for asbestos replacement as the basic material for brake friction materials. Disc brake pads that does not contain Asbestos or Asbestos free group that can be divided into 3 types of technology.

The key features of asbestos replacement technology are as follows but would be different in percentage to serve in difference choice and match with driver needs. Stability and braking efficiency. Braking at cold and high temperature. Pedal sensitivity. Wear resistance. Even the cost of production for non-asbestos technology will be higher than asbestos. However, well ordered research has been set in several industrialized including brake pads, many manufactures to substitute asbestos fibres in many recent applications, because of distinguished health risks to users.

Valeo Service braking systems are designed to provide comfort in road safety. Valeo utilised the best possible Non-asbestos technologies to give you safety and comfort for each application. Choose Valeo brake pads to match with your vehicles and your driving needs. If you are not able to determine whether your brakes or clutch contain asbestos, you may want to consider having your brakes or clutch serviced at a commercial automotive shop.

As noted above, OSHA requires special work practices for professional automotive technicians. If, however,this is not possible and you do not have access to the equipment professional automotive shops use to comply with the OSHA work practices , you may want to consider using the wet wipe method described in this brochure. This method has been deemed acceptable by OSHA for shops that service no more than five brake or clutch jobs per week.

Employers of professional automotive technicians must ensure that they or their waste haulers dispose of waste that contains brake or clutch dust, including wet rags used to wipe this dust, in accordance with Federal and local regulations, including the OSHA asbestos waste disposal regulations.

Brake and clutch dust and other asbestos waste must be collected and disposed of in sealed, impermeable containers that are appropriately labeled see 29 CFR These regulations do not apply to home mechanics. For home mechanics, EPA recommends that asbestos waste be double bagged and disposed of following appropriate local regulations to minimize exposure.

You may contact your state agency for more disposal and other information. Skip to main content. Related Topics: Asbestos. Contact Us. It has superior strength, chemical and temperature resistance, and is inexpensive compared to other materials.

But the properties that make asbestos so good in brake pads also make them hazardous to humans. Some people who are exposed to tiny asbestos fibers in the air in automotive settings may eventually develop mesothelioma or other serious health conditions.

In the early s, northern European countries were the first to enact a ban on products containing asbestos, such as brake pads, brake linings, clutch linings, and engine gaskets. The rules further banned most imported products with asbestos in them. That became a total ban in You would think that asbestos would have become extinct. Automotive suppliers and others worked to come up with substitute products that did not contain asbestos.

But the ban that was proposed by EPA was overturned in the courts. One reason was the ban could put many brake rebuilding shops out of business. That is why asbestos still is with us in the automotive industry to a certain degree. Although US automakers report they do not use brake pads, brake linings or clutch linings that contain asbestos, many aftermarket brake part suppliers still sell products containing asbestos.

According to the EPA, you cannot tell if a brake or clutch part has asbestos by merely looking at them. But for older cars, it is difficult to determine. There also is no law stating that brake pads, shoes or linings containing asbestos must have a label.

So, it is a good idea to treat every car, truck, or SUV as if it could have asbestos-containing brake pads or shoes. OSHA also confirms that mechanics should act as if all brakes have shoes containing asbestos.