Artificial mineral fibers (KMF)

What are artificial mineral fibers (AMF)?

Mineral wool insulation materials are used in the form of glass wool or rock wool. The glass wool or rock wool fibers contained in the insulating materials are usually a few centimeters long and have an average diameter of 3-5 micrometers. When old building products made of artificial mineral fibers are processed, fibers are released that can enter the lungs.

Not comparable with asbestos!

The Federal Environment Agency assesses the health relevance of old CMF as follows: the structure is important for the release of fibers of critical size. Asbestos fibers are crystalline fibers, KMF are amorphous fibers. The latter break differently, transverse to the fiber direction and have low bio-resistance. They are also bound by synthetic resin and other additives. [...] So far there is no study that proves a clear connection between cancer in humans and exposure to CMF. Source: Guideline for indoor hygiene in school buildings, UBA, 2008, p. 64-67.

Locations and occurrence

Since 1996, mineral wool products have been manufactured in Germany that are considered harmless. Since June 1, 2000, only the new products may be used in Germany. In the absence of comprehensive data, it can be assumed that all old mineral wool insulation materials of unknown installation date in the university are to be classified as hazardous working materials. Hazards can arise from unauthorized work, inadequate work preparation, lack of safety measures and the use of untrained personnel.

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