Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral used for its heat and chemical resistance and its great tensile strength across the length of the fiber. It was added to an amazing variety of building materials. Although most manufacturers stopped adding it to their  products in the late 1970s and early 1980s, it is still possible to find asbestos in some materials such as roofing tar and building materials imported from other countries. In Oregon, materials containing greater than 1% asbestos are regulates as “Asbestos Containing Materials” or ACMs.