Transite
Transite is an asbestos-cement building product consisting of asbestos fibers (typically chrysotile) mixed with Portland cement. Manufactured primarily from the 1930s through the 1980s, transite was widely used for siding, roofing, pipes, ducts, and panels in residential, commercial, and industrial construction throughout the United States.
Transite was valued for its durability, fire resistance, and weather resistance. It was manufactured in flat sheets (used for siding, roofing, and wall panels), corrugated sheets (industrial roofing), and pipes (water mains, sewer lines, electrical conduits). Major manufacturers included Johns-Manville, Certainteed, and National Gypsum, among others.
In its intact state, transite is a non-friable asbestos material — the asbestos fibers are bound within the cement matrix and do not readily become airborne. However, cutting, drilling, sanding, or breaking transite with power tools releases significant quantities of asbestos fibers. Weathered or deteriorating transite can also become friable and release fibers without mechanical disturbance.
Workers who cut and installed transite products without respiratory protection faced substantial occupational exposure. Today, transite is still present in millions of older buildings. Any planned renovation or demolition involving transite requires assessment by a certified inspector and, if necessary, professional asbestos abatement. Learn about asbestos exposure sources and your legal rights.
- Also known as
- Asbestos cement board, AC board, Asbestos cement pipe
- Category
- Asbestos
- Related terms
- Non-Friable Asbestos, Chrysotile, Asbestos Abatement, Occupational Exposure, Friable Asbestos
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