How Do I Keep Asbestos Contained While Removing it From My Home?

The simplest and most universal answer to containing asbestos fibers is to keep them wet. The danger arises when an asbestos-containing material (ACM), whether the original rock from the earth or a building material sprayed on decades ago, is pulverized or powdered into dust. The microscopic fibers of asbestos are lighter than any other materials in that dust and will continue to float in the air long after the rest has settled. Be sure to wet the building material before removing it. If necessary (and many asbestos-abatement contractors do this), run a steady mist into the air to capture any fibers that become loose while working. Safely removing sprayed-on decorative or insulation material on walls or ceilings depends on the ability to thoroughly wet it. If the material has been previously painted over, it may be impossible to get it wet during the removal process.

Containing the room at risk of releasing asbestos fibers from other areas is also an option. Any work area where significant volumes of highly friable asbestos-containing materials are being disturbed should be isolated from the rest of the house. First, shut down ventilation systems (sealing them, not just closing vents), line vents, windows, and doors with thick plastic sheeting and duct tape. Everything movable should be removed from the room, especially anything with a soft surface, such as upholstered furniture, window treatments, rugs, and light fixtures on walls and ceilings. Seal the ends of the wires with electrical tape and, without disturbing the ACM, cover the openings with plastic. Completely turn off the power to fixtures and outlets. When using a mister, only bring power into the containment area from outside. Make sure the line is on a ground-fault circuit interrupt (GFCI) outlet (the kind you would install in a bathroom). Anything that can't be moved (other than the ACM), should be covered with taped-down plastic. Cover the walls and floors with a double layer of plastic and make sure all the pieces of plastic overlap their neighbors for several inches before they're taped down. Leave plenty of slack in the plastic to make sure it won't come off the walls while you're walking around.

A contractor may come with a "negative air pressure" system that uses fans to pull air out of the enclosed work area through a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter and pull clean air in from outside. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends four complete changes of the air in the containment area every hour, but some contractors are said to use twice that amount. To maintain the flow, these professional systems can assure this level of air change, and maintain slightly lower air pressure inside the containment area than there is outside.

Use a hallway outside the room where the project will take place for entering and exiting. The best circumstance would be to use a door leading to the outdside. Hang a sheet of thick plastic over the door frame and slit it down the middle. Then hang a second sheet to cover the slit. This will minimize the air that is dispersed out when people and equipment go in or out. Cover the floor, walls, and ceiling to take extra precautions. If desired, put another slit-and-flap door at the far end of the hallway to make a secondary containment room. One worker can stay in this area to hand in additional water, rags, or forgotten tools. This area also provides those who are doing the actual asbestos removal a place to change their clothes and decontaminate before going into the rest of the house. Workers will need disposal bags to put their contaminated gear in. If a hallway isn't available, frame one out of wood lined with plastic.

For removing asbestos-containing material from a small area, such as a section of pipe or duct insulation, a contractor may use "glove bags." These are plastic bags large enough to completely enclose a section of insulation. Workers are able to extend their arms through the sides of these bags and place tools in them while containing the asbestos fibers. Some glove bags have zippers to quickly close them and may have ports for the nozzles of spray tanks for wetting and washing. The edges of the bag have to be taped to clean materials. This is done by sliding hands into the gloves to grip the tools. A final wash down inside the bag makes sure the debris is contained. A second level of insurance will come from drawing air out of the bag through a HEPA-filter vacuum. This ensures minimal risk of dry asbestos fibers escaping into the air while the bag is being removed and resealed. The bag then goes into a second bag that bears the required labels warning of toxic waste.

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