Asbestos in dryer belts?

[miri]

I did some reading where they said that clothes dryer belts outside the USA usually contained asbestos and that this was the main cause of exposure to asbestos in the USA. I was actually shocked to read this. Do american dryer companies really use imported belts that contain asbestos?

 

[Electric Amish]

Like clothes driers??

 

[miri]

Yeah, they said american made belts don't contain asbestos but a lot of clothes dryer manufacturers import their belts.

 

[bernse]

I am somewhat of an "expert" with belts and other mechanical drives.

I have never heard of a V-belt having asbestos in it. Almost all belts are heat, static and oil resistant but that has to do with the rubber, not asbestos added to it.

I would like to see a the source for this info, if you wouldn't mind.

 

[bernse]

BTW - there are few plants that actually manufacture belts in North America anymore. Almost all of them are imported.

 

[notfred]

Asbestos is cool stuff. Ever played with a chunk of it? You can hold a torch to it all day and the other side does't even get warm.

 

[miri]

Goto Google and type in "asbestos in dryer belts" there are a few links. I'm not sure if these links are legit or not, that's why I am asking here.

 

[bernse]

Well, after reading a few of those links it looks like its *possible*, but like I've said I've never heard of it before and I've been in the idustry for 12 years. Belts in dryers are generally nothing special, just a standard FHP belt very similar to what you would have in say, a big garage door opener or even some lawnmowers. I took a quick look through some of my reference on them and none of them state asbestos as material contained in them. Several are coated with cotton or kevlar and will give the belt a "white-ish" appearence, but that has nothing to do with asbestos.

Good of you to look for input before spouting it as gospel. Word of advice: if you hear of anyone or see a website that talks about "flushing toxins" out of your system as some of those websites do, leave.

 

[miri]

Thanks bernse

 

[pkananen]

are you putting the belt through a grinder and making powder out of it?

if not, the stos in there can't hurt you.

i managed asbestos abatement projects for 2 summers, and did all of the official counting and reporting on the hazards.

 

[miri]

pkananen, do you know if dryer belts contain asbetos or no?

 

[bernse]

Originally posted by: pkananen
are you putting the belt through a grinder and making powder out of it?

if not, the stos in there can't hurt you.

That is absolutely false and negligent of you to say.

If a belt did indeed have asbestos (of which I am still quite skeptical), it would presumebly get into the air with regular wear and tear. V-Belts over time wear down and indeed actually get "smaller" as they get used. Where do you think that material goes? It doesn't get teleported away, it floats away. And if this is in a dryer in your house, it's in your air.

If I had a choice between a belt with/without asbestos, I would rather take the one without.

 

[bernse]

For what it's worth, I spoke to a few coworkers about this and nobody has heard of Asbestos in belts before either. If it exists, it must not be very common.

 

[ElFenix]

asbestos, the breakfast of champions!

 

[Encryptic]

Originally posted by: notfred
Asbestos is cool stuff. Ever played with a chunk of it? You can hold a torch to it all day and the other side does't even get warm.

Yeah, it's cool stuff until you get cancer.

 

[TJS]

What is the fabric on the front and rear sides of the dryer drum,
which allows the drum to rotate against front and rear dryer panels?
Does this fabric contain asbestos?
Thanks

 

[BoomerD]

Wow...that's quite an odd necropost...

 

[Dr. Zaus]

Wow...that's quite an odd necropost...

I don't think so, it looks like someone was googling it and wanted to ask a question so they became a forum member.


TJS: no.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Asbestos in MY dryer belt? It could happen to you. Protect yourself. Download our brochure today. [download]

 

[BrokenVisage]

Trump will make dryer belts great again.

 

[LTC8K6]

What is the fabric on the front and rear sides of the dryer drum,
which allows the drum to rotate against front and rear dryer panels?
Does this fabric contain asbestos?
Thanks

1 Seems like an unlikely use for asbestos.

2 Seems very unlikely that such a use would be allowed by regulators.

3 If such a use were somehow allowed, the dryer would need twenty warning stickers and fifteen statements in the manual about the asbestos in the dryer.

4 If a dryer had such stickers and warnings, no one would buy it.

5 Go to 1

 

[AdamK47]

The one post necro bumper strikes yet again. Purch is doing great and providing external exposure to these forums through search engines. At least it gives moderaters more substantive reasons to moderate. That should keep their id quotient full each day and keep them away from regular activities.

 

[zinfamous]

Wow...that's quite an odd necropost...

Well, according to Bernse's 12 year-old posts, it looks like a lot of the information regarding this topic comes from quackery "Natural News" type websites. I'm sure that type of information is still out there and plenty of people are gullible enough to believe it. Something like this, if it were actually true, is legitimately concerning. That, and it's plausible enough.

Makes sense that an Alex Jones fan would be up nights thinking these things. google around and find this old thread and ask about it.

Trump will make dryer belts great again.

And this.

 

[BarkingGhostar]

Not all asbestos is bad. The cliche that all asbestos is harmful is just ignorance. The asbestos the USA banned was the variety that was harmful.

Like an alien species say humans are bad. Sure, a lot of them are, but not all of them.

 

[BoomerD]

Trump will make dryer belts great again.

Don't be the guy who put the "ass" in asbestos...