National Asbestos Awareness Month urges homeowners to find out what's really in your house

It's a potentially deadly substance found in millions of homes, yet many people in Australia's multicultural and diverse communities are unaware of the threat it poses.

Εργάτης που φοράει προστατευτικό ρουχισμό, καθαρίζει την επικίνδυνη ουσία, τον αμίαντο, από μια παλιά σοφίτα Credit: shank_ali/Getty Images

This month, there's a push to raise awareness about the risks of asbestos exposure, with four-thousand Australians dying each year from asbestos related diseases.

But many Australians are unaware of the dangers, or even of the existence, of asbestos.

It's a naturally occurring mineral used in insulating materials, made up of tiny fibers that form a dust when disturbed.