There are three main types of asbestos - chrysotile, amosite and crocidolite; they are usually called white, brown and blue asbestos respectively. However they cannot be identified just by their colour. Only white asbestos is now used in the UK, mostly for the manufacture of asbestos textiles, gaskets, friction materials such as brake pads and clutch linings, and asbestos cement products.

Blue and brown asbestos (the two most dangerous forms) have not been imported into the UK for nearly 20 years and are now banned by law. However all three types may still be found in:

* sprayed asbestos and asbestos loose packing - generally used as fire breaks in ceiling voids;
* moulded or preformed sprayed coatings and lagging - generally used in thermal insulation of pipes, boilers;
* sprayed asbestos mixed with hydrated asbestos cement - generally used as fire protection in ducts, firebreaks, panels, partitions, soffit boards, ceiling panels and around structural steel work;
* insulating boards used for fire protection, thermal insulation, partitioning and ducts;
* some ceiling and floor tiles;
* millboard, paper and paper products used for insulation of electrical equipment, asbestos paper has been used as a fire proof facing on wood fibre board;
* asbestos cement products, which can be compressed into flat or corrugated sheets. Corrugated sheets are largely used as roofing and wall cladding. Other asbestos cement products include gutters, rainwater pipes and water tanks;
* certain textured coatings.