Carpet Underlay May Contain Asbestos Fibers, According to Reports

A recent report out of Australia claims that carpet underlay made from recycled hessian bags may contain asbestos fibers, and homeowners who may rip up and remove their old carpet may be at risk of asbestos exposure.

Professor Bill Musk, a respiratory specialist, stated that carpet underlay made from hessian bags is “definitely potentially dangerous.”

Hessian – referred to as burlap in the United States – is comprised of jute and/or hemp and vegetable fibers. Recycled hessian bags were used as carpet underlay until the mid seventies.

The Western Australia Health Department investigated the claims and is encouraging homeowners to hire a professional to remove carpet, rather than attempt to do it themselves. While the health department is unsure of how many residences may contain carpet with asbestos underlay, they believe that the number could be in the “tens of thousands.”

“The main thing is to not disturb it,” said a health department spokesman.

If disturbed or damaged, asbestos-containing products can release asbestos fibers into the air, putting people at risk for inhalation. If inhaled, asbestos fibers – which have a claw-like structure – can cling to the pleural lining of the lungs [known as the mesothelium] for decades before an individual may begin to suffer from mesothelioma symptoms, such as chronic cough and difficulty breathing.

Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that has no known cure and is conclusively associated with previous asbestos exposure.

Professor Musk told reporters for an Australian television station that “several people” who he referred to as “mesothelioma victims” had been exposed to asbestos while ripping up and removing carpet.

In November of 2008, the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries released a report on asbestos and carpet, which warned contractors, installers, and homeowners of the dangers of ripping up carpet that has been glued to asbestos-containing floor tiles.