Bolton has a mix of historic main-street buildings, suburban plazas, and modern industrial parks, many of which were built or upgraded between the 1950s and 1980s. During that period, asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) were heavily used for:
- Boiler and mechanical room insulation in older commercial and industrial buildings
- Floor tiles and mastics in long-term retail and service units
- Acoustic ceiling tiles and pipe wraps in offices, schools, and institutional spaces
Because many properties in Bolton have changed use over time—main-street homes converted to businesses, small shops turned into offices, older industrial bays repurposed—there are often hidden ACMs behind walls, above ceilings, and in service corridors that owners do not discover until a renovation, expansion, or demolition is planned.