I am updating my bathroom and the new toilet I ideally would like to shorten my waste-pipe slightly to fit the new pan. I know some soil pipes are made out of asbestos, but not sure whether that was limited to asbestos-cement or whether there are also pipes made out of asbestos-plastic (i.e. like Bakelite Cisterns). You can see a picture of mine here: https://ibb.co/ia7GJc - my guess is that this is plastic, but I can't say for sure as limited experience with asbestos. Can anyone confirm that is definitely plastic please?
Thanks KIAB. I know Anglian Water is not exactly HSE, but they seem to think here that Pitch Fibre can contain asbestos. Have you heard of that in the case of soil pipes of this type please? Also anyway for me to confirm whether it is pitch fibre or plastic please?
Well known that pitch fibre pipes contained asbestos in various amounts, it was used as a reinforcement for the pipe. Pitch fibre was used up to the early 70's.
Thanks. I've got no experience of pitch fibre so have no idea how to identify it. This soil pipe is black, hard, about 4mm in thickness and looks like it was cut by a fairly rough saw - tbh it looks just like plastic! Anyway to tell them apart? Thanks
It could be plastic,hard to tell from a photo,as I'm on phone. The rough saw cut could make it look like fibres.
Don't go scratching but just push sharp point of knife in. If its soft it's plastic. If nothing happens its not plastic and back off.
Thanks, it was soft enough for me to poke a knife in, lightly score it with a Stanley knife blade and cut a tiny sliver off the end of the soil pipe with a Stanley knife. It looks like plastic. See here: https://ibb.co/g3rogx Unless you think otherwise, I think that's a case closed - it's plastic. Thank you for your help.
The pitch fibre pipes were buried in some installations and due to hot water and fats would delaminate and deform..hence blocking easily. Rs
Looks like plastic but cant really say for certain from a photo. If you have the slightest doubt have an asbestos test done, it will cost about £80 and you will know for certain either way