Last updated: November 2026
Fibro isn't asbestos. It's fibre cement sheet, and asbestos is one of the fibres that used to go in it. Fibro made from the 1940s until 1987 typically held 5 to 20 per cent asbestos, and NSW says asbestos is common in homes built or renovated before 1990. Only testing a sample can tell old fibro from new.
Is fibro the same as asbestos?
People swap the two words because, for most of the last century, they described the same board.
What is fibro made of?
Asbestos is a group of naturally occurring fibrous minerals. Fibro is a building board. The old kind was a mix of asbestos and cement, with the cement locking the fibres in. Even the NSW Government's Asbestos Checker gives "fibre cement sheet", "AC sheet" and "fibro" as other names for asbestos cement products, so it's no wonder the difference between fibro and asbestos gets lost.
That cement binding is why asbestos fibro counts as non-friable, or bonded, asbestos. SafeWork NSW says it's the most common form of asbestos found in homes. Bonded isn't forever, however. Damaged or old material can turn friable, and friable products let go of their fibres much more easily.
Fibreglass gets mixed up with both of them, and it's a different material again. Our guide to what fibreglass is and how to dispose of it covers that one.
Old and new, side by side
| | Asbestos fibro | Fibro cement made today | |---|---|---| | When it was made | 1940s to 1987 | Since asbestos was phased out. Making, importing or using asbestos has been illegal since the December 2003 ban | | What reinforces the cement | Asbestos, typically 5 to 20 per cent | Other fibres, such as the cellulose in James Hardie's Hardiflex II, rather than asbestos | | Can you tell by looking? | No | No. Hardiflex II was a near identical product to the asbestos version | | The dust hazard when it's cut or drilled | Asbestos fibres | Crystalline silica, which fibre cement products may contain |
Does fibro contain asbestos? It depends when it was made
1987 is the year to remember. That's the end of the manufacturing period the NSW Asbestos Checker gives for asbestos cement sheeting, and SafeWork NSW says the asbestos in fibro was phased out by the late 1980s. The federal asbestos agency's product database is looser and lists external flat fibro as produced or used prior to 1990, and NSW's own advice matches that later date when it says asbestos is common in homes constructed or renovated before 1990. So if your place had work done in the late eighties, don't assume the newer boards are clean.
A brand stamp is a clue. Nothing more. The NSW Asbestos Checker names Coverline, Hardiflex, Harditherm, Highline and Shadowline among asbestos cement sheet products, plus Tilux, the coloured waterproof board used in wet areas. The federal database adds older names like Fibrocene, Fibrolite, Durabestos and Wunderflex.
Hardiflex shows why a name alone won't settle it. When it came out in 1964 it contained chrysotile asbestos and cellulose fibre. After asbestos went, James Hardie made a near identical cellulose product called Hardiflex II, which may be branded on the underside edging, and the database still says a NATA accredited lab test is the only way to confirm you've got the asbestos-free one.
Where to look in an older house
Flat sheet fibro was the most common kind of asbestos cement sheeting. It was nailed to a timber frame because that made building quick and cheap.
Look past the outside walls. The NSW Asbestos Checker and the fact sheet for homeowners list these spots between them:
- external cladding on walls and eaves, and internal wall and ceiling linings
- wall sheets behind ceramic tiles
- flat and corrugated roofing
- garages, sheds, dog kennels and chook sheds
- fences
- window sills, stair treads and balustrades
- compressed asbestos cement flooring, including in bathrooms
Old sheds leave traces too. Remnants of asbestos can be found in the soil where sheds or houses were demolished years ago, and the FAQs below cover what to do if you dig some up.
How to tell if fibro is asbestos
You can't tell by looking. What you can do is notice the signs that a board is old enough to be worth testing:
- white to grey, usually flat and smooth, sometimes with dimples like a golf ball on one side
- joins covered by moulded asbestos cement battens, timber "D" mould strips or silver metal strips
- galvanised nails with a flat head and no point, sitting slightly above the surface
- jagged edges where a piece has broken
Paint or render can hide most of those, and labels don't help much either, because some building products carry an asbestos warning but no label doesn't mean no asbestos.
Who tests fibro for asbestos?
For an actual answer, the NSW fact sheet says to engage a competent professional to test the material, which could be an occupational hygienist or a licensed asbestos assessor. An assessor confirms the presence of asbestos by inspecting the material and checking it with an accredited asbestos testing lab. The result should come back on a Certificate of Analysis endorsed by the National Association of Testing Authorities. SafeWork NSW strongly recommends that a licensed professional collects the asbestos sample, too. Best left to them.
Until the result is in, use the fact sheet's golden rule. If you suspect a board might contain asbestos, treat it like it does.
Is asbestos fibro dangerous if you leave it alone?
Mostly, no. In homes, asbestos is usually the bonded kind, roof insulation aside, and when it's sealed, undisturbed and in good condition the fibres can't get into the air, so the risk is very low.
Time is the catch. The federal Asbestos and Silica Safety and Eradication Agency says asbestos products in Australian buildings are now 30 to 100 years old and have reached or are nearing the end of their lifespan. As they degrade, the risk of asbestos exposure goes up.
Breathing the fibres in is what does the damage. Asbestos-related diseases include asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma, the last of which SafeWork NSW describes as a cancer of the lung lining. They're slow. Symptoms often don't show until 20 to 30 years after exposure, the federal agency says, and SafeWork NSW gives 30 to 45 years for mesothelioma.
Cutting new fibre cement: the silica problem
Asbestos-free fibro cement brings a dust problem of its own. SafeWork NSW lists fibre cement products among the building materials that may contain crystalline silica. Cut or drill them without controls and you can put hazardous levels of dust in the air, and breathing silica dust can lead to serious, sometimes fatal illness.
You won't see it, either. SafeWork puts silica dust at 100 times smaller than a grain of sand.
The controls on SafeWork's checklist for builders are worth borrowing for a home job. Use direct fastening instead of drilling where it'll work, and fit dust capture or water suppression to the tool. And if you don't yet know whether a board is old or new, don't cut it at all.
What NSW law says about removing fibro
You can remove a small amount of asbestos fibro from your own home yourself, though NSW strongly recommends a licensed asbestos removalist, and the fact sheet for homeowners says the circumstances are very limited, generally less than 10 square metres of bonded asbestos. SafeWork NSW is firmer. You must always use a licensed asbestos professional for friable asbestos, or for more than 10 square metres of bonded asbestos. Doing it yourself? Then you have to follow strict safety precautions and wear protective gear through removal, disposal and decontamination.
For tradespeople and businesses, who face their own limits, SafeWork NSW sets out who needs a licence:
- A non-friable asbestos removal licence is required to remove more than 10 square metres of non-friable asbestos.
- A friable asbestos removal licence is required to remove any amount of friable asbestos.
- Under the Work Health and Safety Regulations 2017, an employer or self-employed person can remove non-friable asbestos without a licence only where the area doesn't exceed 10 square metres in total.
SafeWork's own recommendation goes further, to a licensed asbestos professional for any amount of non-friable asbestos.
Disposal has its rules too. Asbestos waste has to go to a landfill that's licensed to accept it, and you should contact the landfill before you go to check its procedures. Before that, SafeWork NSW's guidance is to double-wrap the waste in heavy-duty 0.2 mm plastic, seal it with tape and label it as asbestos waste. Our guide to asbestos removal laws in NSW has more on the legislation.
Asbestos figures from NSW and federal agencies
- Before 1990, asbestos found its way into over 3,000 products, the NSW Government's asbestos website says.
- Until the mid-1980s, Australia had one of the highest rates of asbestos use per person in the world (NSW Government fact sheet for homeowners and tenants, 2019).
- External flat fibro held around 15% chrysotile asbestos (Asbestos and Silica Safety and Eradication Agency product database).
- Around 4,000 Australians die every year from asbestos-related diseases, which SafeWork NSW puts at double the road toll. The federal agency gives the same estimate.
- Loads of asbestos over 100 kilograms or 10 square metres have to be tracked by asbestos transporters and the facilities receiving it through the EPA's WasteLocate system, under the Protection of the Environment Operations (Waste) Regulation 2014.
Clearing out after the reno?
If an assessor or a lab has confirmed your old fibro is asbestos-free, it's ordinary renovation rubbish, the same as the old timber and broken concrete from the job. Paul can take that away from the house. He works to a midday cut-off, so a booking made before then can usually be done that day. For a free quote, call 0407 125 125 or go to renovation waste removal in Sydney.
