What is friable asbestos?

Friability refers to the ability of a solid material to be reduced to smaller pieces with minimal effort. Friable asbestos containing materials (ACMs) are those which easily release their asbestos fibers, making them the most dangerous sources of asbestos exposure. For asbestos, friability generally refers to sources of the material which can be crumbled by hand. Once these asbestos fibers are released, they can lead to a number of serious health consequences, including respiratory illnesses, lung cancer, and mesothelioma.