Asbestos in World War 2 gas mask

[Gunny Hartmann]

So what, the real danger here is the satsuma rammed in my mouth behind the mask....How bonkers is that eh? I like living on the edge me.

Attachment 711800

I think i'm in love!.....

[Wagriff]

Yes, the old gasmasks do,indeed, contain asbestos. This does not mean, however, that there is an instant and immediate warning of lung cancer. Think of the guys who used to grind asbestos brake pads all day in the brake shops, or the guys who used to blow in asbestos insulation into the walls of houses and into ships hulls. They worked every Day in clouds of the stuff. How about electricians who used to bite the insulation off of wires to strip them? They put asbestos right into their Mouths for who knows how many times in a lifetime. Yes, asbestos can and has, indeed, caused problems for people-sometimes lethal, but to have a gasmask in your house is not an enormous danger-why would it be? Use common sense and handle the mask responsibly. It's not a toy to be worn around by your kids and played in (although, I do know kids who did just that). If they are just sitting there on a shelf, I would not worry overly much. I lived in a house that had asbestos tile over the entire outside of it. Never a problem. The stuff is not healthy to be breathing in the dust, but it's not plutonium by any means.

[Jerry B]

There was a recent article about this and many posts on other forums because the H&SE recommended to schools that gasmasks and WWI British helmets were a health risk and should be made safe or destroyed.

I think the answers given above cover it though, don't mess with it and there is very little chance of there being a problem.

[Adrian Stevenson]

As said, don't mess with it and you will be fine.

But you can make a solution of PVA wood glue and pour this into the filter which will seal it.

Cheers, Ade.

[Composite]

My interest in this topic has been re-ignited by the discovery of these two diagrams. I've yet to swamp my bits with PVA (and probably ruin the carpets too!)...but where is the offending stuff in these diags?...is it the "Particulate" bit?

[Adrian Stevenson]

I think it is in the gauze.

[greatwhite]

Would this be the case with German masks too, mine is safely stored away in its container.

[BrodieBartfast]

Would this be the case with German masks too, mine is safely stored away in its container.

The general consensus is that German masks of the WWII period contain activated charcoal. One caveat being the Luftschutz/VM-type masks, which are said to contain asbestos. It's generally agreed that the military masks contain charcoal, but I still wouldn't want to breathe through one. 70+ years is more than enough time to allow the components to break down, as well as for all kinds of nasties to breed inside the filter.

As with any of these things, it's better to be safe than sorry. There's no danger in displaying them outside their canisters on a shelf, even if they do contain asbestos. As long as they're not shaken or bashed about, the contents won't escape on its own.

B.B.

[greatwhite]

Thanks, it actually smells awful so it can stay in its tin for now.