A classification for hazardous building materials, primarily asbestos, indicating that the dry substance resists breaking into dust under standard physical force. Because the fibers are tightly bound in a matrix like vinyl floor tiles or roofing mastic, they are less likely to become airborne. This designation dictates the safety protocols and disposal methods required during demolition.
Heard on the job
The floor tiles tested positive for asbestos, but they're nonfriable so we can remove them intact without full containment.