Asbestos was widely used throughout the world and was used extensively in the United Kingdom within heating and electrical insulation products and as a general building material until 1985, (example; spray coatings, lagging and insulation board).
It was also used as a bonding and strengthening agent within other building materials such as cement board, rainwater goods, floor tiles, roof tiles, and within textured decorative coatings up until 1999 when the importation of asbestos was finally banned.
Other common uses include; stair nosing, sink pads (for acoustics), resins, plastics (such as toilet cisterns), brake pads, fuse-board flash-guards, safe linings, paint, textiles, rope, bitumen, felt, paper, mattresses and gaskets etc.