Did you know that asbestos can provoke severe breathing problems and cause cancer?
Asbestos has been a common building material for years. They used it in everything from popcorn ceilings to wall paint. The government banned asbestos for most applications, but much of it is still around today.
You tend to find it in older homes and buildings in the Northeast. If you suspect that this material is in your home or commercial building, you need immediate asbestos removal and disposal. Experts advise that you do not try to remove it on your own, as that risks releasing it into the air, where it is most dangerous.
Read on as we discuss asbestos disposal and how to go about it safely.
How Do I Dispose of Asbestos Correctly?
You should never attempt disposal of asbestos on your own.
To be clear, there are no asbestos disposal regulations that prevent you from doing so. However, this is a known carcinogen with fiber dust that releases into the air, and asbestos disposal requirements could actually put you at legal risk for handling them improperly.
Further, professional asbestos disposal services, like Banner Environmental, exist to preserve public health. Professionals who work with it know where to dispose of asbestos so it doesn’t cause further risk.
Asbestos waste disposal cannot be done in a trash can or landfill. There are special abatement centers that prevent asbestos from posing a risk to humans again.
How Do Experts Remove Asbestos?
Residential asbestos disposal is where asbestos causes the greatest public health concern. Whether it’s disposal of asbestos shingles or disposal of asbestos siding, the process is similar. Our team of experts wear respirators and other protective barriers before setting to work.
For the safe disposal of asbestos, they need to wet any contaminated materials. This prevents asbestos dust from flying into the air where humans can breathe it.
We contain any removed material in bags that are at least 6 millimeters thick. From there, we seal the waste into a leak-tight container. After proper labeling, we can take it to licensed asbestos disposal sites.
Proper disposal of asbestos is difficult to do by yourself. You risk exposing yourself and others to these tiny fibers, which can lead to lung cancer, so taking it to a typical landfill is not an option.
Always trust asbestos removal to experts like Banner Environmental.
How Much Does It Cost to Dispose of Asbestos?
It depends on the type of material, how much of that material there is, and the difficulty in removing it. Since you can find asbestos in many different types of building materials, asbestos disposal costs vary widely.
If you’re looking for asbestos removal in Massachusetts or asbestos removal in Rhode Island, request a free consultation, we even work with your insurance provider to see what they will cover.
Asbestos Disposal: How to Remove Specific Types of Asbestos
Asbestos may show up in shingles, pipes, and even your roof. The process for asbestos roof disposal will differ from the asbestos siding. Let’s discuss how our team handles the removal of some common items.
All asbestos removal starts the same: we secure the area with 6-millimeter plastic. A transition zone helps our team to move in and out without spreading dust. Using a hose and/or spray bottles, they can begin to wet the material to contain dust.
How Do You Dispose of Asbestos Siding?
Disposal of asbestos siding often includes disposal of asbestos shingles. This siding releases dust when pried loose, so we must proceed with caution. Our approach to disposing of asbestos shingles is similar.
We carefully pry pieces loose without cracking them and then lay those pieces on the plastic and keep them wet. We then double-bag the asbestos in more 6-mil plastic for disposal.
How Do You Dispose of Asbestos Tiles?
We also try to avoid cracking tiles too much since this throws up dust. All pieces of asbestos-containing material must remain wet until disposal. There is a lot of dust mixed up within the grout, so we need to collect the wetted excess as well.
With dust-heavy materials like tile, you really should only rely on the experts.
How to Dispose of Asbestos Flooring
Asbestos flooring comes in several kinds. Some are friable, some are not.
Friable asbestos is any asbestos-containing material that can be crushed, crumbled, pulverized or turned to powder with the ordinary force of a human hand. Any material that is friable and containing more than 1% asbestos will be considered a Regulated Asbestos-Containing Material and will will require its own process. For this, depending on the type of asbestos, we will either wet the area or use a solvent to dissolve the material.
How to Dispose of Asbestos Ceiling Tiles
Since dust containing asbestos can drift down and contaminate other surfaces, we are extra careful when dealing with asbestos ceiling tiles. We again wet these surfaces, but are very careful to avoid water damage to other parts of a home or building. The entire area will need containment with 6-mill plastic.
The same goes for popcorn ceilings. These types of ceilings make a lot of mess and release a lot of dust, but we take extra precautions in disposing of asbestos popcorn ceilings so as not to leave dust on furniture or flooring.
How to Dispose of Asbestos Insulation
Insulation is especially tricky since it releases a lot of dust during handling. We wet it down frequently and avoid tearing and scraping it on the walls on the way out.
How to Dispose of Asbestos Pipe
Asbestos as a carcinogen affects the lungs through fiber dust. However, old, dry pipes still present a risk. It’s essential to remove all contaminated piping to prevent future dust release.
Contact the Experts for Professional Asbestos Disposal
Asbestos disposal involves wearing heavy and specialized personal protective equipment (PPE), wetting down materials, and storing them properly for disposal. Professional Asbestos Disposal experts like Banner Environmental know how to properly dispose of asbestos by taking it to a licensed abatement center. You should not attempt to remove asbestos on your own.
If you think you have asbestos and need it removed/disposed of contact us today to get a free cost estimate for removal. We have 24 HR Emergency Service: 866-934-2374. With more than 25 years of commercial and residential experience, we are your go-to asbestos disposal company in the Greater Boston area and throughout Rhode Island.