Asbestos refers to a group of naturally occurring minerals that were widely used in construction and manufacturing in the past. Especially between the 1950s and the 1980s, asbestos was used in a variety of building materials such as insulation, roofing, flooring, and fireproofing products. However, prolonged exposure to asbestos fibers can lead to severe health problems, including lung cancer, mesothelioma, and asbestosis. Asbestos use was banned in the UK in 1999, but many older buildings still contain asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) that pose a risk to human health.