Non-friable means that the asbestos fibres in the material are held within a solid matrix and are less likely to become airborne – example: asbestos cement sheeting, fences and roofs.
Friable asbestos materials are usually loosely packed and can easily be crushed and become airborne. Examples of friable asbestos products include insulating rope on old oven doors, asbestos insulation and asbestos fibre blankets.