ᐅ Cork Felt Under Carpet – Is Removal of Harmful Substances Necessary?

Good evening,
After rather unsuccessful research, I am hoping for some expert advice. Under the carpet in our home, there is cork felt (unknown age, I estimate about 20 years). It seems to have been used as an underlay material. The carpet is in a large room where, on one half, a second carpet is laid directly over the floor instead of the cork felt.
How should this cork felt be classified? Is this a case that requires hazardous material removal?
Thank you in advance and best regards from the Hanseatic city.

I am not familiar with "cork felt" in the context of carpet flooring. Usually, for old linoleum and carpets, there was a type of felt underlay. These were well glued—too well, in fact, to be removed easily. Here, under single-disc machines, there is a brush attachment that can restore the screed surface to a condition suitable for renovation.

Regarding the question about harmful substances: dust will be generated. The fibers should not be inhaled, so it is essential to wear an appropriate dust mask. This has nothing to do with asbestos, but rather with the fiber cross-section and fiber length. These properties make them so hazardous (capable of reaching the lungs).

I hope I have answered your question?

Best regards and good luck, KlaRa

I had something like this in mind. Part of the inscription indicated cork felt, but online you mostly find information about bitumen cork felt. Unfortunately, there is no really detailed information available.
I recently wanted to take a photo; visually, it looks like dark brown cardboard, and to the touch, it feels like old, water-damaged, and then dried cardboard. I expect dust generation during mechanical processing, so ultimately, this is a case for appropriate protective measures.
Regardless, beneath (other) carpet floors in the house, there is also a layer of flex floor panels with the corresponding adhesive.
Given the age of the house, this was not surprising.