How Do You Remove Asbestos?
When material containing asbestos is broken or crumbles, and the asbestos fibers become airborne, fibers can attach to people’s clothes, be inhaled, and expose people to dangerous health conditions. Consequently, asbestos removal must be cautiously managed.
For the most part, in the United States, homes built after 1980 did not use materials that contained asbestos. But when the owner of a house built before 1980 replaces floor tiles, siding, shingles, or drywall, there is risk of damaging these materials and releasing asbestos. Demolition of buildings or houses also risk releasing asbestos into the air.
Safe asbestos removal
The best way to ensure safe asbestos removal is to allow professionals to handle the asbestos removal process for you. Contractors engaged in removing asbestos must become trained and certified by taking federal government accredited courses in asbestos removal.
Certain states and local governments require asbestos professionals to become certified. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends asking for proof of asbestos certification and licensing when hiring an asbestos abatement contractor. The EPA regional offices or the state or local health department may make referrals to licensed asbestos professionals. Get quotes from more than one service because prices may vary considerably.
The EPA also recommends asking the professional for references from previous clients to find out if they were satisfied. The determining factor on selecting a contractor should be the quality of work, and the company’s reputation usually is an indicator of quality.
The asbestos removal process
You can expect asbestos removal to involve the following:
- Asbestos professionals wear disposable protective suits, gloves, boots, and respirators when removing asbestos.
- Special care is taken for recycling asbestos, which requires storage, transport, and disposal at a hazardous material recycling center.
- To prevent asbestos fibers from becoming airborne, a wetting process is used during removal.
- Other areas of the house are sealed off to avoid containment.
- All equipment is thoroughly cleaned afterward, and surfaces in the area containing asbestos are also meticulously cleaned.
- Clothes or other cleaning materials are properly bagged and disposed of along with the materials containing asbestos.
Depending on the type of materials involved (initially determined by a certified asbestos inspector), you and your family may need to relocate temporarily.