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Steps to Remove Asbestos

The first step is containment. It's important to keep loose asbestos fibers from flying into the air. Precautions will need to be taken to prevent anyone from breathing them. One of the best ways to keep the fibers from releasing is to wet it down. Asbestos fibers do not dissolve in water, but water does stick to them (especially if the water is "amended" with something like detergent), which allows the fibers to fall to the floor with the other components of asbestos-containing materials. Dry asbestos is so light that the fibers can hang suspended in the air for days.

If a large section of asbestos-containing material (or suspected ACM) falls off a ceiling, seal off the room immediately. Next, cut off ventilation, close windows and doors, and tape plastic over the crack below the door. No one should go into the room until a professional inspector can test the material. Every surface that has any dust on it will have to be sampled (floors, shelves, windowsills, furniture) and if the material does turn out to contain asbestos, everything that was in the room will have to be cleaned. If it cannot be cleaned, such as upholstered furniture and fluffy rugs, it has become asbestos-containing material and will have to be discarded with the construction debris.

If you are thinking of doing the actual removal yourself, consider hiring a licensed asbestos inspector to have the material tested, advise you on removal, and confirm there is no asbestos lingering in the air after completion. Check with the agency that regulates asbestos in the state to learn the licensing requirements. Remember, hiring a professional is the easiest and safest way to handle asbestos removal and is highly recommended.

Any professional contractors hired to perform the removal work should be independent from the inspector. The state regulatory agency will have a separate list of licensed abatement contractors, or at least the regulations for their training and licensing. Make sure to get several bids from a number of contractors and ask them to document how they meet the regulatory requirements. Ask for past clients and call the references. Also check with local air pollution and worker safety authorities as well as the Better Business Bureau.

Although private homes are not generally covered by the legal definitions of procedures for treating public buildings, the private contractor should document that they will use the same methods for you. This includes proper disposal methods for asbestos-containing debris. Make sure the contractor is aware of the strict disposal requirements and knows how to meet them. Ask for a written work plan, which should extend through cleanup and specify the applicable federal, state, and local regulations, including permits and notifications. Double check these regulations yourself. At the end of the job, get certification from the contractor that all requirements have been met. Be careful when hiring roofing, flooring, or plumbing contractors for projects containing asbestos because they may not be required to have as thorough training and experience. If they are not licensed by the state for asbestos abatement, do not hire them.

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