How to Deal With and Safely Remove Asbestos

Learning that your home may contain materials made with asbestos can be a frightening thing. Asbestos has been connected to many health conditions, including lung scarring, asbestosis, increased risk of lung cancer and mesothelioma, a rare cancer that is caused by inhaled fibers of asbestos. The first instinct for most homeowners is to remove the asbestos containing materials as soon as possible. For additional information on asbestos cancer and mesothelioma treatment please see the resources at asbestos.com

While most counties and municipalities allow the owners of residential, single family homes to undertake renovations that include the removal of asbestos on their own, there are some important precautions and cautions of which you should be aware.

Before You Remove Asbestos from Your Home

Read through the entire procedure to be sure that you completely understand what you need to do to remove asbestos safely. If you have any doubts at all about your ability to use the necessary safety equipment or follow the procedures exactly, do not attempt the removal yourself. There are many professional, licensed asbestos abatement firms that can help you

Are you sure that it’s asbestos?

In many cases, the only way to know for sure if a material contains asbestos is to have it tested. The testing must be done by a specialized laboratory. You’ll find laboratories listed in the telephone directory under “Asbestos – Consulting and Testing”. The cost for testing is usually quite low. If you choose not to have the material tested for asbestos, you should assume that it DOES contain asbestos and follow all the appropriate safety precautions for dealing with asbestos.

Do you really need to remove the asbestos?

In most cases, asbestos is not a hazard unless fibers are being released into the air. Intact asbestos containing materials are usually best dealt with by being covered or encapsulated rather than removed. There are many ways to ways to seal asbestos so that the fibers aren’t released to become a health hazard.

Removing the asbestos can actually increase the risk of exposure. There is no way to remove asbestos without releasing some fibers into the air. If you do choose to remove asbestos containing materials from your home yourself, it’s vital to use respirators and safety equipment. There is no safe level of exposure to asbestos. If you are not certain that you can safely remove the asbestos, we suggest that you hire a certified asbestos abatement professional.

Do you have somewhere to dispose of the debris?

By law, asbestos containing materials can only be accepted at landfills that have the capability of dealing with abating the asbestos. Before you decide to “do-it-yourself”, check with your local landfill to find out if they accept asbestos, or check around to find the closest landfill area that does accept asbestos-containing materials. Proper disposal of asbestos-containing materials is a crucial final step in removing asbestos from your home. If there is no nearby landfill where the asbestos can be safely taken, consider hiring a professional to do the job.

Basic Safety Procedures

Before deciding to complete the work on your own, review the following basic safety procedures. If you’re not certain that you can follow them precisely, you should not attempt the removal on your own. Instead, hire a licensed asbestos removal professional to do the job.

• Choosing Workers

  You may have neighbors or family help you in the removal process, but you may not pay them for working, and they must be aware of the risks and assist you voluntarily.
  
  Best practices for asbestos removal projects suggest that the work be performed by at least three people – two to work inside the containment area, and a third outside the containment area to provide any tools, supplies or water needed while the work is in progress. This cuts down the need for the inside workers to remove disposable clothing and put on fresh clothing each time the exit or enter the area.

• Protect Yourself and Your Helpers

  Safety gear is vital to protect both yourself and your helpers from inhaling or spreading asbestos fibers beyond your workspace. You can find appropriate safety equipment and asbestos specific tools from vendors listed in the Yellow Pages under “Safety Equipment and Clothing”.

  You’ll need:

  1. Half face, dual cartridge respirators equipped with a pair of HEPA filters (purple). Be sure to request a fit test when you acquire the respirators. They won’t provide adequate protection if they don’t fit properly.
  2. Several pairs of disposable coveralls with built-in booties, preferably oversized. You’ll need enough coveralls to wear a fresh pair each time you enter the containment area. The coveralls must be removed and disposed of in a properly sealed asbestos waste bag whenever a worker leaves the containment area to ensure that all the asbestos debris remains inside the containment area.
  3. One pair of laceless, pull-on rubber boots with no fasteners for each worker who will be in the containment area. They can be washed off after or disposed of with other contaminated debris.
  4. Each worker should wear a pair of non-fogging goggles whenever they’re inside the containment area to protect their eyes.
  5. Each person in the containment area should wear a pair of durable, disposable rubber gloves. The gloves should be disposed of with hazardous materials each time the worker leaves the containment area and replaced with new gloves when a worker reenters the containment area.
• Tools and Supplies

  The tools and supplies that you need will depend on precisely what materials you are trying to remove. The following is a fairly comprehensive list of tools and supplies that are typically used when removing asbestos.

  1. Tank sprayer for materials that must be wet down before removal.
  2. Liquid dish detergent will increase the saturation power of water for materials that must be wet (spray on ceiling coating, decorative plaster, etc)
  3. Putty knives and a dust pan for materials that must be scraped
  4. Polyethylene sheeting to build containment area. You should use 2 or 3 mil thick sheeting for wall covering and 6 mil sheeting for floor covering
  5. Asbestos waste disposal bags made of 6 mil polyethylene marked with the required asbestos warnings.
  6. Duct tape for sealing waste bags and building the containment area
  7. Clean, disposable rags for clean-up and removal purposes
  8. Encapsulant such as latex primer paint or an approved latex sealing product

Basic Safety Procedures

The following are some of the basic procedures that should be followed in removing asbestos.

• Contain the hazard to your work area.

  Containment is crucial to protect your family and others from airborne asbestos fibers. Cover floors and walls with plastic sheeting, and hang heavy duty plastic sheeting over any openings out of the room. Don’t forget air registers, heating registers and air conditioning or heating ducts.

• Wet down the materials containing asbestos.

  Materials that will be scraped away or cut should be kept wet during work to cut down the chances of asbestos fibers becoming airborne. Keeping the asbestos-containing material thoroughly wet throughout the entire removal process is critical to controlling the release of asbestos fibers into the air. The materials that you are removing should be thoroughly saturated with water to keep asbestos fibers out of the air. After the material is removed, you’ll need to keep the debris saturated until it is packaged and sealed for disposal.

• Dispose of all asbestos containing debris and equipment in approved bags.

  Proper disposal is vital to protecting yourself, your family and the community from the hazards of airborne asbestos. Improper disposal will make you liable for fines from local, state and federal agencies.

• Warn others of the work.

  Before you begin work, post signs informing friends, family and others who might drop in while you’re working of the possible exposure danger.

Step by Step

1. Build containment area

The containment area should completely enclose the area in which work is being performed and isolate it from the rest of the home. Use 3 mil poly plastic sheeting to cover walls, and double-cover all open doorways or windows. Cover the floors with three layers of 6 mil poly plastic sheeting to ensure that all asbestos debris is kept off the floor. The bottom layer should be taped down. The top two sheets should be left loose to be rolled up after the work is done.

2. Put on protective clothing and equipment.

Put on all protective gear and equipment while standing on the entry/exit poly sheet. Tape gloves and boots to disposable coveralls to ensure that your arms, wrists and legs remain covered.

3. Wet down asbestos-containing materials if you are using the wet method of removal.

Using water with dishwashing liquid, wet the asbestos containing material thoroughly and let it soak in before beginning to scrape or peel. Test for wetness after fifteen to twenty minutes. If the material is not thoroughly saturated, do not continue the work. Contact a licensed asbestos professional.

4. Remove the material following all safety precautions.

Scrape or peel the material away carefully, catching the material with a dust pan and depositing it into asbestos disposal bags. Wipe areas with clean cloths and dispose of the cloths. Do not rinse and reuse rags. Keep the poly on the floors and walls wet at all times by spraying it periodically. This will keep the debris wet and prevent asbestos fibers from becoming airborne.

5. If you must leave the containment area while working, you must remove and change your protective clothing.

When leaving the containment area, remove contaminated safety equipment and clothing and dispose of coveralls and gloves to prevent transferring any asbestos fibers outside the containment area.

6. Clean up the area.

• When you have finished removing the asbestos-containing material and placed it into the removal bags, seal the asbestos waste bags with duct tape.
• Gather the top of the bag, twist it and wrap with duct tape, then fold the twisted and taped portion over and tape it again to form a gooseneck.
• Fold and roll the top layer of plastic sheets from the floor along with any debris on it, and bag it in asbestos disposal bags.
• Wipe down tools and ladders with clean rags and set them outside the entry/exit area. Dispose of the rags in asbestos waste bags.
• Perform any encapsulation before removing poly sheets taped to the wall or floors.
• Put each asbestos waste bag into another bag and seal the second bag as above.
• Place the bags outside the containment area, being careful not contaminate the outside of the bags.

7. Remove the containment area.

• Spray the poly with water again and make sure that any visible asbestos debris is thoroughly wet.
• Remove poly sheeting starting from the point furthest from the entrance. Lower poly sheeting from walls onto the floor. Roll up the floor sheeting, making sure that all debris remains inside the plastic.
• Double bag the poly in asbestos disposal bags.

8. Decontaminate yourself and all tools.

Thoroughly clean all equipment with clean, wet rags, then spray down with a garden hose. While standing on the last piece of poly sheet, spray yourself and other workers with water to wet down any asbestos fibers or debris on the outside of your respirator or coveralls. Spray the walls of the air lock. Remove the boots and either thoroughly clean them or put them into an asbestos waste bag for disposal. Clean goggles and the outside of the respirator while wearing the respirator. Take down the air lock if you used one. Dispose of the plastic in asbestos waste bags. Remove your disposable gloves and coveralls. Peel the clothing off and turn it inside out as you take them off. Step off the plastic sheet. Remove respirators and take out the filters. Dispose of filters with other asbestos waste. Double bag any remaining disposable items, including the last poly sheet. For any remaining cleanup, use clean wet rags. Do not vacuum or sweep up asbestos debris. Take a shower.

Disposal

As stated above, asbestos waste can only be disposed of at landfills approved to accept asbestos waste. Check with the EPA or your local environmental enforcement agency to find the location and phone numbers of approved sites.

• Transport and dispose of all asbestos containing waste in double sealed waste containers that are labeled with the appropriate asbestos label. Your last name and the address where the waste was removed must be written on each bag.
• Transport asbestos waste in a covered vehicle that will not permit the release of asbestos fibers into the air.

For more information on asbestos exposure and abatement please visit the Asbestos and Mesothelioma Center.