Houses with Mr Fluffy asbestos
Mr Fluffy was a company that installed loose-fill asbestos insulation in more than a thousand houses in Canberra in the 1960s and 1970s.
This material is particularly dangerous because it is comprised of loose raw asbestos fibres which were pumped directly into roof spaces.
The majority of houses have amosite (brown) asbestos but there have been a small number of houses where crocidolite (blue) asbestos has been found.
Find out more about asbestos.
Removal program
A loose-fill asbestos removal program between 1988 and 1993 aimed to remove visible and accessible loose-fill asbestos insulation from identified Mr Fluffy houses.
It is known that loose-fill asbestos insulation material remained in these houses, in areas such as internal and external wall cavities, subfloor spaces and behind cornices. In some cases, assessments showed that fibres penetrated living spaces of properties.
If you have concerns about asbestos
If you have concerns about loose-fill asbestos in your house, you should call a licensed asbestos assessor who will confirm whether the material is asbestos and tell you what action to take.
You should also:
- register with the ACT Loose Fill Asbestos Coordination Team.
- or call The Loose Fill Asbestos Coordination Team at Access Canberra on 13 22 81.
Health effects
Asbestos is a health risk if inhaled. The risk of developing an asbestos related disease increases with the number of asbestos fibres a person breathes in during their life.
Find out more about the health effects of asbestos exposure.
Health risks of living in a Mr Fluffy house
Only a qualified medical practitioner can provide a health assessment of your circumstances and exposure risks.
If you believe that you have been exposed to any form of asbestos or have any health worries, talk to your doctor.
Health study
The ACT Asbestos Health Study examined the health effects of living in a house with loose-fill asbestos insulation. It estimated the risk of developing mesothelioma and other cancers.
To read the report, go to the Australian National University National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health website.
In 2022 The Australian National University (ANU) started a project to update the data linkage component of the ACT Asbestos Health Study.
The original data linkage research of the 2017 ACT Asbestos Health Study examined whether the rates of mesothelioma and other cancers were higher in people who had lived at an affected residential property than in people who had not.
The updated study will examine additional data up to 2020 (or later if available) and include addresses of recently identified affected residential properties.
More information about this project can be found at ACT Asbestos Health Study II.
The ACT Asbestos Health Study II is funded by the ACT Government.
To subscribe to future legacy project updates, email loosefillasbestos@act.gov.au.
Loose-Fill Asbestos Disease Support Scheme
This support scheme provides financial support for people with an asbestos-related disease from living in a loose-fill asbestos insulation (Mr Fluffy) affected property in the ACT.
The $16 million scheme is equally funded by the ACT and Australian governments and is administered by the ACT Government.
Go to the Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development Directorate website to find out more.
More information
Go to the Loose Fill Asbestos Coordination website.