Thank you for sharing your experinces, Roy, it's always a pleasure to read!
I can follow your point in asbestos versus non-asbestos materials. I'm too young to having ever owned a car with asbestos pads, but I do remember how the trains started to squeal very loudly when they changed away from the asbestos containing brake components. Nobody raised the question about the increased level of dust, but back in the 80's everybody was afraid of asbestos, and while it wasn't a good experience to be standing next to a stopping train on a station, we had to accept it.
I'm afraid that the Green Stuff pads on both the Murena and the Espace do squeal
It's a bit on-and-off, but they do. The Murena is worst
All I have fitted have been with the red surface on top, so I don't know the old product. All Green Stuff pads I have used so far have been fitted at the same time as new discs, and all are still in good state. Even the rear brakes on the Espace.
The tape probably absorbs some of the vibrations and prevents most of it from being transferred to the rest of the suspension, but I agree it can never fix the actual problem with the air being trapped.
- Anders