Hi
We recently removed some old wallpaper from our lounge walls. It was gold in colour, shiny and had a soft, thick texture behind it making it feel spongy. Our house is from the 1950s and I am not sure how old the wallpaper was. When we removed it it left the glue on the wall which was very flaky and even after scraping it off it kept reappearing as flakes a few hours later. I am concerned that this may have been dangerous in terms of inhaling as we have two young children who would have been exposed to it. It was left in this condition until a decorator came to sort it all out a few weeks later.

Can you advise me as to whether this was likely to contain asbestos or other chemicals as I am really concerned about it?
Thanks

I have never heard of asbestos used in wallpaper paste. In an old house you might be concerned with lead paint, and could have chips tested.
Calcimine, or whitewash, an old fashioned white paint, flakes as you describe. It is a natural product made from lime and chalk.

The type of asbestos used in wallpaper is called chrysotile or more commonly white asbestos; it was completply banned in 1999 whereas the other type ( the blue and brown asbestos) where banned in 1985.

The white asbestos release a type of fibre that is able to liquefy within the human body and gets espelled; the brown and blue asbestos do not liquefy but they crystallize in the body ( lungs to be precise) causing cancer and/or mesothelioma. The length of time where the person affected get ill could be between 10 to 60 years after expousure ( at present there is not a safe level of exposure enstablished). Although all kind of asbestos should be trated very carefully, it is retained that the white asbestos scores a low level of risk. The percentage that could be found in wallpaper various between 10-15%, and the asbestos is in the paste of the paper and not behind. I would say that what you have found beneith the paper is glue mixed to humidity and probably old paper... however because the hazardous material was used for many things... if your house was built or somehow redone between 1930 and late 80`s consider that it may ( quite probably ) contain asbestos. What you have done now it is done, don't attempt doing it again in the future and maybe you could buy an air purifier ( able to filter at least 3 micr.) In the other hand, don't duel in it... probably no damage occourred... and remember no necessarely all the wallpaper contained asbestos! Good luck. Mummy 74