If you are a resident of Australia and believe you may have loose-fill asbestos in your home or in a building your company is in, by law you must have it tested. This is because loose-fill asbestos is not only one of the most dangerous forms of the substance, it has also been mandated as a substance that must be found and then destroyed.

Why is it so important to get loose-fill asbestos testing for your building? There are many reasons, and all of them are vital to your health.

Loose-filled asbestos buildings are dangerous -- Just about the most dangerous form of asbestos is loose-filled. This is because, instead of large pieces of the substance, that tend to stay in place more, loose-filled gets into the air. Once there it can be breathed in by you or your staff, and can lodge in your lungs causing lung problems and even cancer.

How many buildings with loose-fill asbestos are there? -- Decades ago, this was a very popular form of the substance, which is why Australian authorities are not absolutely sure just how many homes and office buildings have it installed. They do know, however, that it is thousands. Your building could be one of them.

How does loose-fill asbestos testing work? -- You must hire a company that specializes in this type of testing.

They will come to your building and using quite basic equipment take air samples from a variety of places. They will also go under sinks, inside walls and in attics and basements looking for signs that this type of asbestos is in your home. Their samples will be taken to a lab and tested and, if it is discovered that your building has it, you will be instructed to have it demolished.

Yes, it really is that dangerous.