Asbestos-cement pipe — often known by the brand name Transite — was used for water mains, sewer and drain lines, irrigation, and furnace/flue and vent piping. Made of Portland cement reinforced with asbestos fiber, it was installed heavily from the 1940s into the 1980s and much of it is still in the ground and in buildings today.
The Biggest Clues
- Water & sewer mains: gray, hard, cement-like pipe (not metal, not plastic) in underground utility lines, sometimes stamped “Transite” or “A-C pipe.”
- Flue & vent pipe: round gray cement-like pipe carrying exhaust from old furnaces, water heaters, and boilers up through the roof.
- Appearance: rigid, gray, concrete-like, with a smooth or slightly fibrous surface; it rings dull rather than metallic.
- Age: installed before ~1985.
Only laboratory testing of a sample can confirm asbestos content.
Why Cutting It Is Risky
Intact asbestos-cement pipe is relatively stable because the fiber is bound in cement. The danger comes from cutting, grinding, snapping, or drilling it — utility repair, demolition, and trenching that break the pipe release respirable fiber. Weathered and deteriorated pipe is higher-risk.
What to Do
- Don’t cut, grind, or break asbestos-cement pipe.
- Test a sample before any pipe repair, replacement, or trenching.
- Use a licensed abatement contractor and follow utility asbestos-handling rules for removal.
Occupational Exposure
Plumbers and pipefitters, utility workers, construction workers, and laborers who cut, laid, repaired, and dug up asbestos-cement pipe were exposed to the fiber released when it was cut or broken.
If you were diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or another asbestos-related disease and were exposed to asbestos while cutting, installing, or removing cement (Transite) pipe, you may have a legal claim.
This information is published by an independent media organization — not a law firm — and is educational only. It does not constitute legal advice or provide legal services.