Asbestos Removal Industry: Cure Or Curse?

From wonder mineral of the ages to one of the worst banes of humanity. That, in a nutshell, is the story of asbestos. And the back story as well of one of the most controversial industries today, the asbestos removal industry.

The ancients considered asbestos magical and wove it into cloth. But it was during the Industrial Revolution that it began to be widely used for its heat- and chemical-resistant properties, mainly as insulation in turbines, boilers, kilns and ovens. It is also highly resistant to electricity. In the 20th century, there was even more widespread use of asbestos in buildings and homes, automobiles, and clothing. Asbestos products such as asbestos cement sheet walls and ceilings, and asbestos roof tiles were popular in home construction because they were believed to lessen the risks of fire. It has also been used in water and sewage systems. One of the heaviest users of asbestos was, in fact, the US military, especially the Navy, which used massive amounts in building warships and other vessels.

Asbestos Removal Industry

This was despite growing proof of the danger to health caused by asbestos exposure. Among the diseases linked to being exposed to asbestos are asbestosis, lung cancer, mesothelioma, a particular form of cancer directly caused by asbestos exposure, pleural plaques and pleural thickening.

Many large asbestos companies, in fact, continued to use it in construction and manufacturing well into the 1980s. They would hide their health hazard findings to get around the multi-million dollar lawsuits filed by victims of asbestos cancer. But as the evidence became cleared, government began banning the use of asbestos. Today, 60 countries have total or partial bans in place.

In the US, although the Environmental Protection Agency has no general ban on asbestos uses, it was one of the first pollutants regulated by the Clean Air Act and its use in many applications prohibited by the Toxic Substances Control Act.

With so much asbestos in houses and buildings, the problem now became how to remove it safely. This gave birth to what is now the multi-billion dollar asbestos removal industry. Much of the asbestos used in buildings comes in what is called bonded form, meaning it is mixed in with a another material like cement that it is unlikely to be released in harmful levels unless disturbed or broken.

Friable asbestos on the other hand, can easily become a powder and be released in the air as dangerous crystals that can be inhaled. Its most common use was in fire retardants sprayed onto building and house walls.

Because asbestos removal is a dangerous business, all asbestos abatement and removal workers are considered professionals who need to undergo state-approved training and certification. They are strictly required to wear safety clothing and asbestos abatement equipment. DIY asbestos removal, while possible, is not advised.

However, the growing demand for asbestos abatement services has also fueled a debate about the extent of asbestos hazards or whether the asbestos removal industry is simply cashing in on popular fears. There are also concerns about unscrupulous asbestos abatement companies following the prosecution of contractors hiring undocumented workers to undertake illegal removal work, thus exposing people to potentially painful or fatal health hazards.

In the end, though, as the saying goes, better safe than sorry. With proper regulation and enforcement of laws, it is best to have an asbestos removal industry around to safely remove an environmental and health threat that has long been in our midst.

Flipping Houses and Asbestos

In the most recent real estate boom market, it became very popular for individuals to buy run-down houses in growing neighborhoods and fix them up making them look a thousand times better. This profit-heavy "industry" allowed many people to make serious amounts of money quickly.  

The entire enterprise of flipping houses revolved around making minor and major improvements to houses on a very tight time schedule. The houses were then re-vamped with modern fixtures, plumbing, and countertops and re-sold at a much higher price than the one at which the "flipper" bought them. 

While this was a great alternative to buying a home and tearing it down completely, it might have exposed a number of individuals who were heavily invested in the industry to asbestos. This is because many of the homes that were flipped nationwide were older homes that were actually built during the heydays of asbestos. The homes could have included asbestos in everything from the insulation that was torn apart when walls were torn down to the glue holding linoleum tiles in place in the kitchen. Wherever it was, there is a good chance that a flipper was exposed to asbestos at some point, particularly if he or she was flipping homes built prior to 1980.

The homes built in this country prior to 1980 were exceedingly likely to contain asbestos in at least some part of the home. This could be in the insulation, the flooring, the ceiling, or anything else. These are all products that are frequently shredded and torn down during the flipping process. What this means is that the asbestos was disturbed when the mallet went through the wall to make the master closet bigger. 

When the fibers are disturbed, they become dangerous. Asbestos is not nearly as dangerous if people know it exists and take steps to contain it or remove it properly. However, in flipping, people rarely take much time to stop and consider the potential for asbestos as its presence in homes is frequently unknown.

By just tearing through walls and gutting homes without inspecting everything for asbestos first, flippers across the country may have exposed not just themselves to the dangers of asbestos but also any contractor that performed work on the home as well. In addition to contractors, the home's new owners could also have been exposed to the deadly fiber. The fibers themselves are microscopic and could have been inadvertently left floating around the home.

Tips For Safety and Health

Home renovation is definitely a must especially for houses which are considered historic and traditional. Home owners who find joy in purchasing 30-year old houses or even older ought to know significant components of their valuable investment when it comes to home upgrade. Lead and asbestos are two of the most prominent contents found in properties that have withstood time and age. It is of utmost importance to look out for these two salient components in the house and know their implications in your health and quality of your home.

For instance, it is imperative to know what lead and asbestos are in order to know how to deal with them in the course of your home remodeling project. Asbestos is known to be a common and widely used insulation material for broilers and furnaces in older homes. This is due to its fire-resistant features and durability that made it a reliable and preferred material for houses. Asbestos is likewise used for roofing system, floors and wall sidings among others. However in the succeeding years after its popularity in the construction industry, it has been banned due to its threat on the health and wellness of the human body. Therefore, if you have purchased a historic property, it is important that you check your foundations and check for asbestos materials in your home.

Renovating your house ought to be taken with utmost care and caution especially if you doubt that you have asbestos flooring or walls in the house. Never touch a single tile or wall without checking your local building authority and securing permit for the said major construction. This is because asbestos is not at all harmful when it stays intact, however when cracks or breaks are in the surface, it is sure to send out hazardous asbestos dusts. These elements are the ones preferred to be of fatal threat to those exposed to air containing the dusts. Furthermore, asbestos materials are definitely not recyclable, which means that it is not wise to reuse them especially when found damaged or broken.

The best thing to do is to secure a permit from local authorities and hire a licensed asbestos abatement specialist for the removal of your asbestos-contained home. These experts have substantial knowledge and training to properly do the removal of these materials without the threat of damaging them and increase the chances of emitting asbestos dust that is extremely dangerous when taken into the body.

Another component in traditional homes is the use of lead for the painting and surface coverage of walls both in home interior and exterior. Lead-based paints are common yet hazardous to health. These are known to trigger cases of nervous breakdown, hearing loss and IQ degradation among others. It is definitely harmful especially for young children who have weak immune system. Hence, upgrading your home with lead paint also needs abatement specialist to do the job of removing the paint without scraping or sanding the surface.

Checking your home for lead and asbestos especially during home renovation is essentially important. It definitely guarantees your health for a productive and reliable real estate investment.

What is Asbestos and Where Has it Commonly Been Used

Asbestos is a natural fibrous mineral, and it is mined in a number of countries across the world.  Historically, it has been a popular mineral to use in construction due to the fact that it is durable, flexible, resistant to chemical attack, an excellent insulator and able to withstand high temperatures.  Even the name itself comes from the Greek language where it means 'un-extinguishable'.

In the UK, asbestos has been used since the industrial revolution when it was first used as insulation.  Since then, it has been used in various applications such as fire retardant coatings, bricks, pipe lagging and lining of boilers.  

What is Asbestos and Where Has it Commonly Been Used

There are three main forms of asbestos that occur naturally.  The first is known as 'chrysotile', or white asbestos, and is by far the most commonly used type.   It was usually mixed with cement to form corrugated roof sheets, or used to make flat sheets for walls and floors.  Extremely flexible, it can be spun and woven like cloth which made it ideal as pipe insulation or even fireproof clothing.  Considered to be dangerous to health, it was banned from the UK in 1999.  It is estimated that this type accounts for up to 95% of all asbestos found in buildings. 

The second type of asbestos is called 'amosite', or brown asbestos.  In buildings it is most commonly found covering steel as fire protection or in walls as sound proofing.  This type of asbestos is also considered harmful, and the import of amosite was banned in 1986.

The third form of asbestos is called 'crocidolite', or blue asbestos.  It is a harder and less flexible form than the other types, but it is extremely strong and has a high acid resistance.  It is considered to be the most dangerous of all asbestos types, and its use was strictly controlled from 1969 until it was finally banned in 1986.

It is essential that when asbestos it is found it is removed and disposed of correctly by a professional, licensed asbestos removal company, as the removal process can expose you to health risks if the correct procedures are not followed.

As asbestos has been used for over a century, it has been included in thousands of products.  The list below gives some of the common uses for asbestos containing products so that you know what to be careful of when carrying out alterations to a property.  While asbestos is generally safe if left alone, any damage can lead to the release of fibres which are dangerous to health.

Roof tiles and panels - asbestos is commonly found mixed with concrete to make either flat or corrugated panels.  They are often seen as the roofs or walls of outbuildings and garages.

Roofing felt - asbestos can be found combined with bitumen in the felt often found covering flat roofs, where it gives flexibility and insulation.  Some bitumen products containing asbestos were also used to make guttering.

Lagging - adding asbestos to cloth allowed it to be used to lag pipework and prevent heat loss or frost damage.  Similar material was also used for fire blankets and some protective clothing.

Sound proofing - sprayed asbestos can often be found in under floors and in ceiling voids where it acts to prevent noise pollution.

Electrical insulation - Asbestos paper has been used to wrap electrical cabling and as the back of fuse boxes because of its non-flammable properties.

Spray coating - spraying asbestos on structural components of buildings provides protections against damage from heat and cold.

Loose packing - wall and ceiling cavities in older buildings may contain asbestos as it was frequently used as insulation.

Door linings - a flat sheet of asbestos under door panels provides resistance in the event of fire.

While this list gives you an idea of what to look for, it is not complete and if you are in any doubt a qualified asbestos surveyor should be contacted for advice.  They will be able to assess the situation and advise you accordingly.  If in any doubt ask a professional asbestos removal company to undertake an asbestos survey so that you are certain of what you dealing with before you start removing anything that could significantly harm your health.