Asbestos In Cars

Guess I'll go visit H.A.M.B. and find that thread of 'Vintage Shots From Days Gone By'. Already there.
 
This whole issue is a knee jerk reaction after the horse has bolted.
You see, Australia has announced a recall of some 23 000 cars produced by Chinese brands Great Wall and Chery due to asbestos having been found in certain vehicles. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has explained that the asbestos is located in the engine and exhaust gaskets. More than 50,000 Great Walls were sold in Australia between 2009 and 2015, but the budget-priced utes and SUVs are not currently being imported, with the trickle of sales this year representing the clearing of stock.
Had the government people overseeing the importation of motor vehicles into Australia been alert, this problem would have been picked up before thousands of suspect vehicles entered the country. However, it wasn't, and now these same people are picking on the casual importer of second hand collector cars from any part of the world. If you read the Attachment in my earlier Post, you will see that they are "attacking" these cars with little regard to the damage they are causing. The poor Collector Car enthusiast is left to clean up the mess with no chance of compensation for loss or damage.
 
Yes it seems a big issue no Doubt this came from someone beating up their importance in their new job.. it's would be like pissin in an ocean. But this sort of **** is common place in Australia now pfft!
 
I am led to believe this crack down by the government started when it was discovered that some of the new cars that were / are imported from china contained asbestos.

Apparently any item in china that contains less than 10% of asbestos is deemed asbestos free. Different regulations to here.

Crazy part is that back in the 30's thru to the 60's probably 20% of all the houses and factories built had corrugated asbestos roofs on them and a lot of them are still there and we are worrying about a few gaskets and brake linings.
 
There has been some grumblings a year or so ago about one of the old asbestos mines up in Canada being reopened and operated by a Chinese company. I don't know where that issue stands today but asbestos is not an easy mineral to source any more. most mines were shut down due to the health issues.
 
I would not deny that asbestos is bad. Smoking is bad (unless it's marijuana it seems) as are many other regulated things. If we are going to actually be safety minded lets park our cars. These gasoline powered four wheel buggies we are so fond of cause more death and destruction than all the above combined. The most dangerous thing you can do is start your car and pull out on the highway. We need lots more regulations, I guess?
 
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So, the obvious question to follow along with this post is what about all the antique cars already on the road in Oz spewing asbestos into the environment? What's next? Bill
 
Hey mercman from oz, thank you for the explanation. Makes it clear. I grew up on asbestos. Both grandparents had it on pipes in their basement. There were places that were fractured. I spent two years doing homework in Grandpop's basement. Later garage and gas station service maintenance ( brake dust, battery corrosion, etc. ) for fourteen years. Always able to get black dust, nasal goo when using a tissue. Same thing from expectorating. I guess the non-filter cigarettes protected me.
 
mercman from oz said:
This whole issue is a knee jerk reaction If you read the Attachment in my earlier Post, you will see that they are "attacking" these cars with little regard to the damage they are causing. The poor Collector Car enthusiast is left to clean up the mess with no chance of compensation for loss or damage.
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Yes, that was my thought on the Hemmings article. They can still import collector vehicles but the hassle and expense of the required asbestos inspections will make it more trouble than most want to endure. Not to mention damage to the vehicles from the inspections.
 
I hope these "nut jobs" here in California don't see this article. They will pass a law to inspect every old car here for asbestos! It will be another way for them to charge a "fee" for the inspection.
 
Next, they will be pulling over old cars and asking to see proof of asbestos free certification.

That's going to be expensive to comply with.
 
fortyonerag, best not to mention things like that on the media otherwise we will all be off the road mate. Regards, Kevin.
 
Asbestos is a dirty word. When I was employed in the mining sector in Australia, in places where there was asbestos present, they'd put up warning signs which read; Caution Fibrous material. And that was it! That's how they dealt with it.
 
Inhaling the dust is very dangerous.
In Australia there was a large company making wall sheeting and corrugated roof sheeting called "Fibro" which is asbestos cement, sawing and grinding this stuff produces a fine powder which if inhaled is dangerous.
There are millions of houses (made in the 1950s) in this country that have fibro walls and roofs and providing you don't go around grinding and sniffing them it is completely safe, in fact a lot of those houses collect rainwater from the roofs today.
The government have panicked and decided we can't be trusted to handle it properly, consequently we now have "blanket" protection even though most vehicle asbestos is in areas that are not easily accessed.
There are lots of other things in cars that are dangerous and have to be handled properly,.... acid, petrol is carcenagenic, coolant additives, oil.
Fortunately we are civilised enough to know what not to eat or sniff (breathe).
We are lucky to have governments looking after us eh!
 
Inhaling the dust is very dangerous.
In Australia there was a large company making wall sheeting and corrugated roof sheeting called "Fibro" which is asbestos cement, sawing and grinding this stuff produces a fine powder which if inhaled is dangerous.
There are millions of houses (made in the 1950s) in this country that have fibro walls and roofs and providing you don't go around grinding and sniffing them it is completely safe, in fact a lot of those houses collect rainwater from the roofs today.
The government have panicked and decided we can't be trusted to handle it properly, consequently we now have "blanket" protection even though most vehicle asbestos is in areas that are not easily accessed.
There are lots of other things in cars that are dangerous and have to be handled properly,.... acid, petrol is carcenagenic, coolant additives, oil.
Fortunately we are civilised enough to know what not to eat or sniff (breathe).
We are lucky to have governments looking after us eh!
 
Being rather tall (since i was a kid apparently) I remember as a youngster scraping this "crumbly sh*t" off the low ceiling of this church hall with my finger nails when I was probably "bored". Later on I realized it was an asbestos based coating that has long since been banned from the building industry...... guess I'll be dead soon. If the asbestos don't get me the Almighty might for "desecrating" his house.

GB
 
This really grates me! Lead is dangerous too....it attacks the brain cells and dumbs us down...so remove it from gasoline and paint and we've gotta be smarter right? So now we'll put cyanide in paint but that's ok?
I have recently been on a very expensive exercise trying to get brakes in my 35 Ford with mechanical brakes...have tried several non asbestos lining materials, none of which worked. Have finally scored some old woven asbestos linings which works fantastic. So, what to do when that stuff runs out? guess I'll have to convert to hydraulics.
 
4t8v8 said:
I would not deny that asbestos is bad.
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I would. Asbestos is actually a trade name, there are different minerals under the name, that have different characteristics, but one thing they have in common is that there is no practical substitute, and it is very useful stuff. Very sad. Certain precautions need to be taken, but banning the stuff entirely is crazy.
 
Crankster said:
I would. Asbestos is actually a trade name, there are different minerals under the name, that have different characteristics, but one thing they have in common is that there is no practical substitute, and it is very useful stuff. Very sad. Certain precautions need to be taken, but banning the stuff entirely is crazy.
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I stand by what I said. I won't deny Asbestos is bad. 'Cause I don't know. It seems Asbestos, motor oil, tobacco smoke (not marijuana though) will kill you if you live in California. Ever read the disclaimers on a prescription medicine instruction sheet. Sheesh! The medicine is more deadly than the disease? It's all our tax dollars and lawyers at work.
 
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