Glassy/crystal like drywall compound

I've been renovating my kitchen and removed some drywall and noticed some drywall compound that was shinny/glassy looking inside. Should I be worried about asbestos or is this something else?

 

Doubtful. When was the house built or that work done? Joint compound is mostly silica. It sometimes has reflective properties. Read your msds for the precautions you should take for silica dust.

 

The supposed work would have been done 15-20 years ago, the paneling over the drywall said it was made in 1991.

 

AFAIK, asbestos hasn't been used in joint compound since the early 70s.

 

The original house was built in 1902.

 

I have seen the "shiny" joint compound you are talking about. I don't exactly remember what brand it was but I do know it was popular in the early 90's when I was first starting in carpentry. I remember being impressed by the drywall subcontractors that I was working around in new homes... they were so good and did flawless work. When you shined a light on the finished sanded walls they were as smooth as a baby's butt and would sparkle, almost like glitter. It was the product they used that was common at the time... but no, I'm sure it did not contain asbestos.

As with any product you question, the only way to tell for sure is with an asbestos test. But if the work was done in the 90's there is no reason to have it tested. If the work was done in the early 80's... maybe.

 

Asbestos was banned from texture in the late 70s although existing stock was allowed to be used up. Any texture applied after the early 80s is generally considered safe. I don't know for sure about joint compound but believe it's been asbestos free a lot longer than that. The only way to know for sure is to test but occasional asbestos exposure for most folks isn't near as hazardous to your health as the TV lawyers want you to believe.

 

Some joint compounds contain very fine mica. That could be the glassy material you are seeing.
Is it in the joint compound only or in the panel? Fire rated panel has short strands of fiberglass in it.
Is this a sprayed on texture popcorn or cottage cheese? Glitter could have been applied. There was a period when that was popular. Some was shiny plastic that looked like dots if the light did not reflect off of it. Some was clear, I always thought it was glass. When light hit it it sparkled when light did not hit it it was invisible. Then of course when the material was painted you didn't see it anymore.
Tell us more. Inquiring minds want to know.

 

The stuff I was inquiring about looked a like cut patio pavers, you know the dust after you cut your brick.
definitely a cottage cheese look to it as well.
Decided just to play it safe, I've paid to get a test done, but didn't go with the con-artist environmental company who wanted to charge me $2000 for tests, made some calls, found out I can submit my own tests for $100 bucks. What scam they are. It literally took 10 minutes maybe to collect a couple samples.

 

I've never used any of them but they sell diy asbestos test kits for $10-$15