Role of chrysotile fibre cement in SL’s roofing industry

Shelter is one of the basic necessities discovered by humans as early as the prehistoric times. The earliest shelters were built using stones, clay and sundried bricks and later materials like timber, glass, concrete as well as steel were invented to fortify the structures.

Roofing materials also undergo major evolution from animal hides and straw to modern day clay tiles, concrete tiles and  fibre cement roofing sheets.

There are four main categories of roofing materials presently used in Sri Lanka, including chrysotile cement sheets (commonly known as Asbestos sheets), clay tiles, Galvanized iron sheets and Zinc Aluminium sheets. 

Chrysotile fibre cement sheets, which take up 35 percent of the local roofing market, have been prominently used since 1950. Sri Lanka produces only high-density fibre-cement roofing and ceiling products via four manufacturers. Moreover, the industry supports over 30,000 persons through direct and indirect employment. 

Chrysotile fibre cement roofing is more commonly referred to as Asbestos roofing sheets. However, there are two main categories of Asbestos – the white asbestos and the blue/ brown asbestos. Sri Lanka only imports white asbestos also known as chrysotile. Since 1970, importing of blue and brown asbestos into the country has been banned under the Consumer Protection Act and Imports Regulation Act. 

According to the Fibre Cement Product Manufacturers’ Association, White Asbestos also known as chrysotile fibre is used in over 150 countries across the world including the USA. 

Unlike its counterparts, chrysotile fibre cement sheets are cost effective and require less timber for installation, preventing needless felling of trees. chrysotile sheets are considerably durable and last more than 50 years, requiring minimal maintenance. The high density product comprises of eight-percent of chrysotile fibre tightly packed within a strong cement bond. 

These sheets are also ideal for use in Sri Lanka’s tropical weather due to their high thermal performance, water tightness and non-conductive nature. Furthermore, chrysotile is comparatively a non-combustible material adding extra safety and peace of mind to the occupants. Moreover, studies have proven that white asbestos or chrysotile fibre easily dissolves in the lungs and releases naturally, whereas the brown/blue asbestos or amphibole-fibres tend to show higher biopersistence, in other words these fibres are not soluble in the lungs and tend to remain in the lungs.

The annual consumption of chrysotile fibre stands at two to three million tons in the world, out of which Sri Lanka claims 50,000 tons.