Do Ceramic Brake Pads Contain Asbestos

Asbestos is well known as a human carcinogen yet there are still materials containing asbestos in the usa and one of those products is often brake pads.

Do ceramic brake pads contain asbestos.

When asbestos materials have been installed and are inert they re considered stable and relatively safe. Asbestos exposure from brake pads. The appearance of ceramic brake pads as a common aftermarket option began in the 1990s. Semi metallic and asbestos based pads were used interchangeably and performed in a similar way.

According to the epa you cannot tell if a brake or clutch part has asbestos by merely looking at them. Replacement brake part sales in the us and canada will see a shift in the product mix toward alternatives such as nao brake pads which are less expensive but also less durable than asbestos containing alternatives and high value durable ceramic brake pads. Aftermarket brakes the majority of auto manufacturers haven t installed asbestos containing brake pads since the 1990 s due to health concerns for those that perform brake related automotive repair or maintenance. These aramid fibers used in ceramic brake pads are certainly not ceramic fibers because although some good friends from the far east do actually use ceramic fibers they are a carcinogen and as dangerous if not more dangerous than asbestos.

As health concerns led to a decline in the use of asbestos pads newer materials including ceramic were used instead. I heard raysbestos was known as a major contributor of asbestos sickening in the past. The organic pads made by reputable suppliers may contain small amounts of ceramic particles not fibers. Although us automakers report they do not use brake pads brake linings or clutch linings that contain asbestos many aftermarket brake part suppliers still sell products containing asbestos.

The danger of airborne asbestos fiber exposure happened when asbestos containing materials acms were disturbed or became old and friable.