AES Answers Your FAQs About Asbestos
What dangers are associated with Asbestos?
What asbestos-containing materials are commonly found in buildings?
How Do I know if I have a problem?
What should I do/not do if I suspect asbestos contamination?
What cautionary practices should be followed in home renovations?
How do professionals remove asbestos-containing materials?
What dangers are associated with Asbestos?
The “friable” form of asbestos (disperses airborne particles when disturbed) was widely used in construction and insulation products and is recognized as a hazardous material. The danger to human health arises from conditions where the asbestos fibers become airborne, and people are in those environments inhale those fibers into their lungs. People subjected to these conditions have been shown to be at risk of developing cancer and other serious health problems.
What asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) are commonly found in buildings?
Many construction materials used in plaster, drywall compound, stipple ceiling, and vinyl flooring and adhesive installations from the 1960s until the late 1980s contained asbestos fibres. Vermiculite is a mined product that was used extensively as insulation in homes and commercial buildings during the same period, and has been known to contain tremolite, an especially dangerous type of ‘friable’ asbestos. Vermiculite in Manitoba buildings is known to have originated in the Libbey mines in Montana, a product known to contain asbestos, and which is still found in many buildings today.
How do I know if I have a problem?
Inspection and laboratory testing is the only way of confirming that asbestos is present in construction materials or vermiculite insulation. The best approach is to presume that asbestos is present and call for professional help before disturbing the material.
What should I do/not do if I suspect asbestos contamination?
If your home was constructed between 1960 and 1990, you can probably assume that there are asbestos fibres in construction materials or vermiculite insulation still present. If this is the case, the basic recommendation is to not disturb it. The danger is when the asbestos fibers get airborne. This is not a ‘Do-It-Yourself’ job and don't trust just any renovator to know how to protect themselves and your household. Get qualified professional asbestos remediation experts to deal with the removal issues.
What cautionary practices should be followed in home renovations?
Renovations to building structures that involve disturbing ACM’s may create a potentially hazardous situation. Before starting a renovation project, have the materials assessed, sampled and tested. If the test results are positive, have the affected materials removed safely by professionals.
How do professionals remove asbestos-containing materials?
Removal of ACMs by professionals usually involves the containment of the affected area with a decontamination chamber system under negative air pressure to prevent fibres from escaping to other areas of the building. Workers are required to wear Tyvek suits and air-supplied respirators when working in the contained area. The ACMs are gathered up and double-bagged for safe disposal at a designated municipal refuse site.
