|

|

|

|

|

|

|

How Do I Dispose of Asbestos-Containing Materials?

The only way to safely and legally dispose of asbestos is to return it to the earth. The material has to be treated with great care to keep the fibers from becoming airborne. It will ultimately go to a landfill that is certified to receive asbestos and prepared to bury it immediately and safely in an area that will be kept closed essentially forever. A designated landfill for asbestos disposal must be determined before work can begin. Also, make sure the landfill serving the project has enough room for the waste that is expected to be generated. The landfill must have an appropriate burial site open and ready, with a sufficient quantity of clean backfill on hand, on the day waste arrives.

Asbestos is regulated as both a solid waste and a hazardous air pollutant. The solid waste must be disposed of in such a way that fibers will not become airborne. You are responsible for any solid waste the asbestos abatement project generates (not just the asbestos-containing material (ACM) itself ) and anything that may have come in contact with it. Keep the asbestos contained as the project progresses because you are also responsible for polluting the air anywhere along the way. Your name and the address of the project where the ACM originated will be on every package of asbestos waste when it's taken to the landfill, so if anything goes wrong and you did not package it properly, you will be held legally responsible.

Some paperwork can be avoided (such as shipping documentation, notification of authorities, labeling of the transport vehicle) if the amount of asbestos-containing waste material you generate falls below the state's threshold for regulation. The material will still be identified with you, so you will bear the risks of a spill on the way or improper disposal. If a spill occurs in your own car or truck, the vehicle will become a toxic-waste site. It is easier to let professionals who are experienced in the procedures and paperwork handle it for you.

Here are the procedures to meet federal law (40 CFR Part 61 Subpart M), New Hampshire Regulated Substances Act Chapter 149-M, and the NH Solid Waste Rules:

1. The generator of asbestos-containing waste or the contractor starts paperwork for the landfill at least 24 hours before the first load is to show up; this period can actually extend to several weeks while arrangements are finalized.
2. Landfill personnel prepare a trench that will hold the total amount of asbestos waste expected over the time span that it's expected to be delivered. The trench has to be dug so that soil can be put back over it without disturbing the containers full of asbestos waste, but it has to be as narrow as possible so it doesn't take too much soil to cover it. The direction the trench faces is even important. The prevailing winds should blow across it, not down the length of the trench where they might blow away the soil cover. At least one end of the trench has to be dug as a ramp, so that the truck that delivers the waste can back down to the bottom for the waste to be unloaded without dumping, which could rupture the packaging of the waste.
3. Landfill workers will off-load the asbestos waste, wear protective equipment from head to foot, including dual-cartridge respirators.
4. The workers will carry waste containers by hand from the vehicle to their spots in the trench, or slide large units carefully into the trench. The plastic bags, even if they're very light, cannot be tossed because of the risk of breaking them and spilling asbestos fibers.
5. Once in place, the asbestos is immediately covered with at least three feet of solid waste or 18 inches of soil, which is then carefully compacted to avoid asbestos exposure. The asbestos-containing waste must not be compacted before it's covered.

If the asbestos-containing waste arrives at the landfill uncovered or not sealed in a leak-tight container, the landfill supervisor has no choice but to refuse it and report to state authorities the exposure of the whole community from the worksite where it was generated. It may have to go to another landfill, but will have to be repackaged before it leaves the first landfill. One of the risks with trying to handle it yourself is that you still have to go to a state-approved landfill with it. Making proper arrangements with the landfill is required so they're ready to receive the materials. The landfill's license requires them to refuse hazardous waste if prior arrangements have not been made and if the amount of the waste is more than expected. Improper packaging will also be refused.

Landfills that can handle large amounts of waste generally do not want to fuss with a few cubic yards that an individual homeowner's project may generate. Smaller landfills that serve limited areas will not be able to take waste from outside their area or in the larger quantities that contractors gather. A state may ask that you bring along your high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) respirators that were used in removing the asbestos-containing material for the workers at the landfill while they offload and bury the asbestos.

If you or a loved one
have been diagnosed with Mesothelioma or another form of

asbestos related ailment, please
please enter your information below for a free packet.

Name:

Address:

City, State, Zip:

Phone Number:

Email:

Diagnosis:

Select... Mesothelioma Lung Cancer Asbestosis Unknown

Comments:

Show Your Support

Free Wristbands
Get an Asbestos Awareness Wristband. Read More

VA Claim Help

Support Book

Cancer Support Book
Get a Free Copy of Lean on Me - Cancer Through a Carer's Eyes. Read More

In Your Area

Asbestos Exposure
Learn about asbestos exposure and legal options in your area. Read More

We comply with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: Verify Here.