Which statement best defines friable asbestos-containing materials?

• A. An ACM that can be crumbled or crushed by hand pressure
• B. An ACM that remains rigid and cannot be crumbled
• C. A non-asbestos material
• D. An ACM that is only friable when wet

Answer: (A)

Friable materials are those that can be crumbled, pulverized, or reduced to powder by hand pressure at room temperature. This quality means asbestos fibers can be released into the air when the material is handled or disturbed, making friable ACM more hazardous. The statement that best fits this concept is one describing an ACM that can be crumbled or crushed by hand pressure, since that degree of physical breakdown indicates potential fiber release. If a material stays rigid and cannot be crumbled, it is non-friable and thus less likely to release fibers under gentle handling. A non-asbestos material isn’t ACM at all, so it doesn’t define friability. And friability isn’t properly defined as being friable only when wet; friability is determined by the material’s behavior in a dry state, with wet conditions not constituting the standard definition.