Gaskets are materials used to seal one compartment of a device ...

illustrates
the useful fluid temperature and fluid ranges for compressed
asbestos gasketing (Union Carbide 1987).
Asbestos sheet gaskets are used in exhaust systems and turbo chargers,
cylinder head and intake manifolds, and high load/high extrusion applications.
The most common sheet gaskets are used in engines, gear cases, and pipe
flanges 1
Asbestos is
the primary constituent for making compressed sheet gaskets
(varying upwards from 75 percent by weight, depending on the application).
Elastomeric binders such as neoprene, silicone based rubber, natural rubber,
nitrile rubber, Teflon, or styrene-butadiene are used to ensure that gasketing
material remains
intact.
B. Producers of Sheet Gasketing
In 1985, five companies produced 2,848,308 square yards of compressed
sheet gasketing. These companies consumed 4,041 tons of asbestos fiber (ICF
1986a).
In addition,
a sixth company produced an estimated 759,000 square yards of
compressed asbestos sheet gasketing from 1400 tons of asbestos fiber. 2 The
total estimated consumption for this category is, therefore, estimated to be
3,607,408 square yards of sheet gasketing from 5,441.1 tons of fiber. Table 2
presents the production volume and fiber consumption for gaskets in 1985.
Known imports make up a small percentage of the total gaskets consumed in the
U.S. There were 506.35 tons of sheet gasketing imported in 1985 (ICF l986a).
The asbestos compressed sheet
gasketing market was estimated to be worth
1 Due to the wide variety of gasketing shapes, sizes, compositions, and
sheathing materials available, an all-inclusive list of fabricated products is
not available.
2 Based on the methodology for allocating consumption to survey
non-respondents in Appendix A. -
-2-