Asbestos and Hurricane Preparedness

When hurricane season is in full swing, many people take hurricane preparedness very seriously and stock up on the basics, such as water, canned food, and materials to board up homes. However, few are aware that in addition to covering such essentials, steps should be taken to prevent at-home asbestos exposure in the event of a destructive hurricane.

For most of the twentieth century, asbestos was widely used in countless construction materials. As a result, experts estimate as many as 35 million homes across the United States are contaminated with asbestos products. When these contaminated construction materials are damaged during a hurricane, hazardous asbestos fibers can be released from the product. Once airborne, these fibers are easily inhaled and readily attach to clothing, skin, and hair.

In the wake of a hurricane, asbestos exposure is considered a serious environmental concern by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as well as by other state and local government agencies. In addition to the EPA, a variety of federal statutes provide planning and cleanup information that applies to cataclysmic emergencies and natural disasters. Such federal statutes include:

• Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA)
• National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP)
• Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA)
• Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA)
• Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA)

How to Prepare

Thousands of products once contained asbestos, and aging asbestos-contaminated construction materials arguably compose one of the most dangerous groups of asbestos products. It is essential to know what products could contain asbestos in order to check and prepare a home for possible contamination.

The following includes a brief list of common construction products that may contain asbestos:

• Insulation
• Pipe covering
• Certain types of flooring
• Asbestos siding
• Roofing
• Ceiling materials
• Plumbing
• Acoustical plaster
• Caulking, spackle, and sealing
• Paint
• Asbestos paneling

Those who are concerned that asbestos-containing materials could be in their home should:

• Be cautious when inspecting their residence and careful not to disturb any potential threats
• Fully wet down any suspicious materials (this helps to keep asbestos fibers from becoming airborne)
• Wear protective gear, including clothes, boots, gloves, and HEPA filter masks if working around potential asbestos-containing materials
• Contact a licensed professional abatement contractor to inspect the home
• Know that any repairs or abatement efforts should be carried out by the professional, as it is tedious and expensive to purchase all the supplies and safety measures required to securely perform the abatement.

To prepare for natural disasters, the EPA recommends that regional, state, and local NESHAP coordinators make efforts to control plausible asbestos hazards and prevent asbestos exposure. It is worthwhile to contact local officials and request information on what efforts are being made to ensure asbestos exposure threats are being minimized.

Another preparation that should be considered includes waste disposal issues. Devastating hurricanes typically result in the necessary removal of wreckage materials, and capacity at asbestos-accepting landfills may be limited in the amount of hazardous debris that can be stored. It is best to contact the local waste management to learn about landfills that not only have the capacity, but are also legally capable of accepting asbestos-contaminated waste.

Avoiding asbestos exposure is a matter of educating yourself on the diverse range of asbestos threats. We strongly recommend browsing through the site to read more about asbestos products and measures that can be taken to prevent exposure.