Prior to US Federal Government bans in the 1970s, asbestos was used for over 4,000 years, primarily for its superior insulating properties. Most commonly, asbestos was sprayed, or “flocked” on ceilings, creating a textured “popcorn” appearance. It was also used as spray-applied insulation because it was flame-retardant.

The danger of flocking is that asbestos fibers are […]