Various Hollywood filmmakers have used asbestos, a heat-resistant mineral, to create splendid snow effects in movies. This snow created with asbestos has always amazed and awed the audience. It was the main component used by movie directors and producers to create fake snow.

Let’s understand how it was used in several Hollywood movies that turned dangerous options into magical ones.

White Asbestos

In the 1920s, cotton batting has been used to make artificial snow. However, the practice had the potential to cause fire risks while chrysotile (white asbestos) came in as a safer option. Asbestos was used in various classical movies when Hollywood embraced this idea.

Asbestos in decorations

Besides the fake snow part, asbestos was also used to adorn some parts of the movie sets. Later, asbestos was also got used in special effect beams and piping.

During that time, producers thought using it for set decoration was a safer option as fake snow could pose health risks. But they didn’t know that even decoration could be risky with asbestos in it. When crumpled, asbestos fibres can go airborne and get trapped deep within the lungs and other human body parts on inhalation. This way, asbestos started causing lung-related problems and cancer problems to people present on the sets.

How to get rid?

If you detect asbestos presence in a building, you should consult with professional testing and asbestos removal in Newcastle, NSW experts. They will do the air monitoring and floor resistance testing to know what type of asbestos is present if it’s there. This will follow a proper removal and disposal plan.