For environmental
occupational health safe
and responsible use

Chrysotile Cement Products

Chrysotile has been used for a long time, as well its rough state as added to various products. Why adding chrysotile to cement? Quite simply to make it more resistant, lighter, and to improve its commercial and industrial lifespan.

Chrysocement exists since the beginning of the 20th century. It was invented in Austria in 1904, and was largely used for residential and agricultural construction in Europe during last century, mainly after the Second world war. A large majority of the few 25 million tons of chrysotile, which were imported by the European countries between 1950 and 1995, served this purpose

The most popular chrysocement product is undoubtedly the rigid or corrugated sheets used for roofing in developing country. Some companies also choose to cover their roof with shingles made of chrysocement; they are offered in various colours just like the shingles being used to cover the walls. Chrysocement is also used to manufacture various products for the transport and the conservation of all kinds of water, like pipes, sewers and water tanks.

Chrysotile finds several uses in cement. It allows cement to last a minimum of 50 years, at lower cost. A study carried out in 1996 indicates that to cover 1000 square meters of roof resisting 50 years, one needed 16 780 kg of sheets of chrysocement or 14 770 kg of polyvinyl alcohol fibre sheets (PVA) or 10 085 kg of steel sheets (lasting 35 years with a high degree of maintenance). Despite the fact that one needs a little less PVA than chrysocement to cover the same surface, the study shows that over one 50 years period the environmental impact of chrysocement will be two to six times lower than the PVA. Compared with steel, chrysociment also has a lower environmental impact, unless the steel sheets have a recycling rate higher than 80 %. Chrysocement is the cheapest product by far among all asbestos cement materials offered on the world market.

All things considered, chrysocement is an excellent produced, both for the economy the environment.


SEE ALSO...
Photo-reportage - Control in the manufacture and use of chrysotile-cement



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