Do brakes and clutches still contain asbestos?

While most modern vehicles use asbestos-free parts, asbestos could still be present in brakes, clutches and gaskets of many older or imported vehicles. Asbestos is still widely used in some gaskets particularly where heat can be a problem (such as in engine heads and vehicle exhaust manifolds). Anybody who works with brakes, clutches or replaces gaskets knows dust is always present. The dust from the normal wear and tear on brakes and clutches, which is generated when gaskets are removed, can be a serious health hazard if it contains asbestos fibers. If they become airborne, asbestos fibers (which are too small to be seen) can linger around long after the job has been finished. These fibers can be breathed into the lungs by anyone in the workplace. Although a business may fit non-asbestos parts to vehicles, it cannot be sure that the parts removed from customers' vehicles do not contain asbestos. Common sense and good practice dictates that you play it safe by treating all brake ...  more