It could be. If you are not having problems where you have to make repairs to this area, then do not worry about it. From what I understand if you don't disturb the asbestos you are ok. It's when you cut into it or it becomes frayed, etc that you may have problems. If this bothers you, you should also be able to cover it up (some sort of paint or wrap).

I did consider failing to mention asbestos a bad sign. I thought that they would either rip it out without any precautions or else the crew would show up to do the install & see the asbestos that the estimator didn't. Your situation may be different since the contractor previously acknowledged. I do think that the contractors who notify homeowners of problem and refuse to expose their workers (unless they are trained/licensed to handle asbestos, of course) are the responsible ones. I think we'll probably end up spending about $2200 to have it removed with full report & documentation of remediation. The state and county offices charged with regulation were very helpful to me on the issue, giving me the regs, names of testing labs, and saying which remediation companies had good track records.

Asbestos is only bad if it gets airborne and then inhaled. If asbestos is protected and left in place, there is nothing inherently wrong with it; there are many older installations of asbestos wrapped pipes in industry where the acceptable practice is to encapsulate the asbestos (cover it, wrap it, etc.) with new materials and leave it in place. If you are concerned that your pipe wrap contains asbestos, get a sample of it tested by a licensed lab. If you ever do some serious remodeling, ductwork replacement, etc., then you should have an asbestos abatement company come in to take care of the issue properly and safely. Your pics show what looks like metal ductwork. Surely, the metal ducts are not cracking???? Might they mean the joints between ducts are coming loose and those are the cracks they speak of? And, those ducts do not look to be insulated, which, IMO, they should be since they are in an attic. I wonder if a single, simple solution to your 1) potential asbestos issue, 2) leaky ductwork joints and 3) uninsulated ductwork would be to have an insulation contractor come in and spray foam the attic ductwork. That would encapsulate any potential asbestos, seal any gaps, and insulate all at once.

A few corrections on the above posts. >It surely is asbestos. It is impossible to tell by sight whether a material is asbestos-containing. Only a lab test can do that. That said, one should always assume that it IS asbestos and treat it as such unless you do a lab test. >Begin by getting the best dust mask you can find at the hardware store. The mask you use should be rated 'HEPA' or have a 100 in the code (P-100 for example). Note, it is not the larger fibers but the tiniest ones that do damage to the lungs. Don't skimp on the mask. David R's description is pretty good but includes triple cleaning of all surfaces BEFORE the removal and no cleaning of the room AFTER the removal. I would clean after. >Call your city hall and ask where you can dispose of household hazardous waste properly. Follow their directions. >Which is the city dump, and you'll be charged 200% the normal rate. When the bags are taken to the dump, your name and address will be logged and now there is a paper trail connecting your name/address to asbestos disturbance. In the US, federal law exempts homeowners from many hazardous waste laws and regulations (and from asbestos abatement licensing requirements, if they do the work themselves). The concept of Household Haz Waste is actually an exemption from regulations for homeowners, not a bunch of special requirements on homeowners. Cities want to keep HHW OUT of the landfill if possible, so they ask people to voluntarily separate it and take it where it can be recycled/disposed safely. As for asbestos, a landfill is the one best place for it and there is no reason to divert it. It should be double or triple bagged AND labeled "Caution - Asbestos" and disposed with your regular household trash. You don't have to take it to the landfill yourself. That's federal rules; local ones may vary, so if you have questions, call whoever is responsible for your trash disposal and ask them what to do with X amount of asbestos removed from your house. You don't have to give them your address to ask questions, if it makes you feel better. I hope by now it's obvious that the 'disturbance', if done by the homeowner in a way that does not expose neighbors, the public or trash collectors, is completely legal and there should be no repercussions to anyone finding out that you did it. Just be safe. And if it's in good condition and hidden away from traffic/damage/etc. that would release fibers, it's fine to clear coat it and leave it alone. IMO that pic shows damaged/poor condition material and I would probably remove what I could easily access just to be rid of it. Very carefully. Or, you know, you can always test each separate material in your house at a lab for a few bucks, and if it's NOT, you can quit worrying about it! [If it looks the same on all the registers, it most likely is the same, so one sample is sufficient]