Eternit

Eternit is a brand of roofing and paneling material, commonly called fiber-cement board, made of fibres and cement.

Originally, the fibres were made of asbestos and the material was commonly used as siding in house building due to its low cost, fire-resistance, light weight, and other properties. After the discovery that asbestos is highly carcinogenic, its use is now prohibited in some countries. However, it is still sold "under the counter" in some places, especially in coastal areas where it withstands the climate much better than other materials. Today, Eternit and other manufacturers of fiber-cement board now produce asbestos-free panels.

Recommendations for the handing of Eternit differ from country to country.

Eternit was invented in the late 19th century by the Austrian Ludvig Hatschek. He mixed 90% cement and 10% asbestos with water and then ran it trough a cardboard machine. He named the product after the Latin word "aeternitas".

In South Africa

In South Africa the use of asbestos in the building industry became widespread when a factory was built by Everite at Brakenfell near Cape Town to manufacture asbestos-cement roofing and other fibre-cement products. The roof of the factory was manufactured with the newly installed machinery.

The use of asbestos in the manufacturing of fibre-cement products has now been discontinued by Everite and a new cement-based composite material Nutec has replaced the old product range. The use and handling of asbestos in South Africa is well-regulated and many asbestos-cement roofs and pipelines are completely safe to retain, provided that precautions are taken when drilling or cutting these materials.

The use and disposal of asbestos-wool insulation in ceilings, partitions and power stations is very hazardous and requires expert treatment.