tiles are 9x9 green with vains of gray. They are brittle and cracking. Is this typical of asbestos tile?

Asbestos tile cannot be identified by sight, size or anything else, except testing. Chances are that if the tiles are brittle and cracking it is not asbestos, only old.

Harold is right, only testing can tell for sure.

Please correct me if I'm wrong ballengerb1, just so that you know do not attept to remove or repair this tile until you have it tested. Because asbestos when airborn can be a serious health hazzard and should be dealt with by experinced personel. I hope this helps...

When it comes right down to it asbestos tile is not dangerous to the home owner. Asbestos was dangerous to those who mined it or worked in factories where is was use to make other products. Daily exposure to friable asbestos, over a long period, can cause asbestosis. A simple test kit cn be bought at a hardware store to test. Floor Tile Removal - Minnesota Dept. of Health (http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/asbestos/floortile/index.html#rcan)

Asbestos Related Diseases and Exposure.
Because asbestos has been used in over 3,000 modern products, most people have suffered some degree of exposure at one point in their lives. Fortunately, most asbestos exposure is limited to small quantities of well maintained building materials such as siding, concrete, and insulation. Regular maintenance of these materials is key to preventing asbestos from degenerating into the airborne fibers that wreak so much havoc on the human body. Unfortunately, because asbestos use is so widespread, it is impossible to calculate the damage that even a small quantity of unchecked asbestos can cause.
Asbestos is responsible for number of fatal illnesses. The lightweight nature of the asbestos particle facilitates airborne spreading of these deadly carcinogens, so therefore most asbestos-related diseases affect the respiratory system. These diseases are incurable and agonizing consequences of working in the asbestos industry or contact with asbestos-related products. Even tiny amounts of asbestos can inflict irreversible damage, as symptoms usually only emerge 20 to 30 years after initial exposure.
Common asbestos related diseases:
• Although mesothelioma is the most common asbestos related disease, asbestosis is another fatal consequence of asbestos exposure. This deadly condition causes the parenchymal tissue within the lungs to become inflamed, which prevents proper air/blood exchange.
• Asbestos induced lung cancer is a fairly rare, yet still dangerous consequence affecting thousands of innocent people across the United States. Victims of lung cancer caused by asbestos have usually been exposed to brown or blue asbestos.
• Asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma are consequences of prolonged asbestos exposure, as are several benign asbestos related diseases. Regardless, any contact with asbestos merits immediate medical consultation, for treatment options and survival rates are greatly improved with early detection.
( Everybody has a different opion )

When it comes right down to it asbestos tile is not dangerous to the home owner. Asbestos was dangerous to those who mined it or worked in factories where is was use to make other products. Daily exposure to friable asbestos, over a long period of time, can cause asbestosis. A simple test kit cn be bought at a hardware store to test. Floor Tile Removal - Minnesota Dept. of Health (http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/asbestos/floortile/index.html#rcan)

That is correct, dangerous & deadly diseases like mesothelioma (http://www.themesotheliomalibrary.com)& asbestosis only develop after 20 - 50 years of occupational asbestos exposure.

"The risks for asbestos exposure are not high for everyday people who are exposed to the air, water and the soil of the earth. It is occupational asbestos workers that come into contact with asbestos products on a daily basis that are at high risk of inhaling asbestos fibers. Starting from the 1940s (before World War II) and onwards, millions of American workers have been exposed to Asbestos on the job. These types of jobs include firefighters, automobile workers, drywall removers, demolition workers, insulation workers in the construction & building industry, as well as mining & shipbuilding workers. "