As you may know electrical wires on ballast manufactured pre-1970s or so were rubber-insulated with a braided fabric sheath over the rubber. Even though the application isn't exactly high temperature, it seems theoretically possible for the fabric to contain asbestos. Was it a common thing back then? And it's apparently difficult to rule out the presence of asbestos, but could there still be a way to have an idea if it's likely or not in a particular case?

I used to strip those wires without giving it a second thought, I never suspected that these wires may contain asbestos, even indirectly. I don't mean to get paranoid but may I have possibly inhaled asbestos fibres back then without knowing it?

Honestly , back in the day , pretty much everything seemed to have asbestos in it somewhere !! From streetlights to water heaters , from floor tiles to roofing and plaster to hairdryers and TONS of additional items . Asbestos was the "wonder product that was virtually everywhere !!! Believe it or not , some products made today STILL contain asbestos !!

Type AF and AL wire both contained asbestos but they were mostly limited to high temperature applications. Some of the older preheaters look like they might have used type AF/AL wire.

Yeah asbestos was literally used in everything back in the day. Even in cigarette filters at one point. I believe brake and clutch parts were one of the last main uses of asbestos that the average person might come into contact with.

Speaking of asbestos, the last product we imported from Canada was the well known DUXEAL mastic till about 2002. 

I'm not surprised, I believe the mine in Asbestos, QC which as you probably guessed mined asbestos was in operation until 2011.

I'm not surprised, I believe the mine in Asbestos, QC which as you probably guessed mined asbestos was in operation until 2011.

Yeah the mine has been closed for ten years or so, give or take a year or two.

But the place no longer is named Asbestos! They wanted to dissociate themselves from their historical past of asbestos mining or something like that. From what I've heard other local businesses were having issues with some US importers! Said importers were freaking out because they were purchasing products made in a town named Asbestos...  "Oh no it might have asbestos in it!"

...no. Just no.    

Another piece of my faith in mankind disappeared when I heard that story, but I digress LOL. Now Asbestos, QC is named Val-des-Sources, QC.

I'm honestly not scared of asbestos.
 Because if you respect the product you're not gonna inhale it.

Duxeal = electrician's Play-doh 🙂