Asbestos is a synthetic, fibrous material of a blue, green, brown or white colour that has for many years been used in buildings and premises for fire retardant purposes. Being a very effective way to
stop the spread of fire, asbestos and asbestos-derived materials are still present in thousands of buildings of all nature in the UK alone, although it is no longer used in new buildings and premises due to a number of implications and issues that have been uncovered.