Johann Hunt
It’s impossible to ignore the dreadful World Health Organization statistics regarding asbestos, a common sight in many homes. According to the WHO, asbestos causes about four life-threatening diseases and kills over 90,000 people yearly. If asbestos is in your home, you must remove it safely and quickly while protecting yourself and other residents. Here’s how.
High Risk of Mesothelioma
We paid more attention to asbestos after mesothelioma claimed 2,236 lives in America in 2022. This cancer is rare but fatal and affects the lining of the lungs, stomach, or heart. Even minimal exposure can kickstart mesothelioma, though it often happens after long-term exposure. Unfortunately, the disease hides away for decades, so early detection is difficult and fatal once diagnosed.
Other Cancers
Besides mesothelioma, asbestos exposure can cause lung cancer and other cancers like those in the larynx, ovary, pharynx, stomach, and bowels. When asbestos fibers are inhaled, they’re trapped in the body for years after exposure. And that’s bad. These cancers are serious and fatal, with individuals who smoke at more risk.
Non-Cancerous Lung Diseases
Cancers aren’t the only life-threatening issue people exposed to asbestos have to deal with. Constantly inhaling asbestos fibers scars the lungs, making it hard to breathe. It also causes pleural diseases like thickening of the pleura and fluid accumulation around the lungs, which affect the lining of the lungs. It’s a lot of pain and difficult breathing.
Diseases Have a Long Latency Period
A prolonged “latency period” means asbestos exposure can take many years—sometimes 10 to 50—before symptoms show up. This is bad because people don’t realize they’re sick until much later, making treatment harder. Symptoms include trouble breathing, chest pain, and coughing. However, since these signs appear so late, they become late-stage diseases at diagnosis.
Common Yet Deadly
A few decades ago, asbestos was everywhere. You’d find it in insulation, roofing, and brake pads. When these parts wear off or materials containing asbestos break down, the tiny fibers float in the air, putting us at risk. The WHO estimates 125 million people worldwide are exposed to asbestos at work, and over 100,000 lose their lives.
Lingered On for Too Long
Chrysotile is the most common type of asbestos fiber in America, found in nearly all commercial asbestos. Workers in industrial construction sites or factory shopping units face high risks, especially when removing or repairing materials that contain asbestos. Despite its dangers, asbestos was manufactured until the 1970s, and we still have many of those materials around today.
High-Risk Areas and Jobs
Although the US has stopped mining asbestos since 2002, it was still imported for certain uses, like making diaphragms in the chloralkali industry. Likewise, some products still contain asbestos, like brake linings, insulation materials, and vinyl floor tiles. Janitors and workers in jobs such as insulation, plumbing, and welding are at risk for asbestosis, a serious lung disease.
Identifying Asbestos in Your Home
If you live in a house built before the 1980s, you’re most likely exposed to asbestos. Without second-guessing, you must act fast. While you can’t see asbestos by looking, damaged insulation or crumbling materials are tell-tale signs. If your home is this old, get a certified asbestos inspector to carefully examine your house before safe removal in these steps.
Hire Licensed Asbestos Removal Professionals
DIY projects around the home are fun, but removing asbestos is dangerous. The safest way to handle it is by hiring licensed professionals in asbestos abatement. These experts are trained to deal with hazardous materials like asbestos and follow strict rules to keep everyone safe. They use special equipment to remove asbestos without putting people at risk.
Conduct a Thorough Inspection and Seal Off the Area
Before removing asbestos, a professional must inspect the home to identify all areas with asbestos. They’ll collect material samples and send them to a lab for testing. Once confirmed, professionals create a containment zone by sealing off the work area with plastic sheets and tape. This measure prevents dangerous asbestos fibers from spreading to other parts of the home.
Shut Down HVAC Systems
Before abatement, you must turn off the HVAC system to prevent asbestos fibers from spreading through the air ducts. This keeps the air in other parts of the home safe. Professionals also use negative air pressure systems to filter harmful asbestos fibers from the air before they are circulated back into the environment.
Use Wet Removal or Glove Bag Techniques
Professionals also use water to wet asbestos so that it doesn’t turn into dust and become airborne. They use a low-pressure sprayer to apply water and keep particles contained. For smaller asbestos, like pipe insulation, they use a glove bag—a special bag that surrounds the material so fibers don’t escape into the air.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Working on asbestos without special Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is a one-way ticket to a shortened life. This gear includes respirators to supply clean air, protective clothing to cover their bodies, gloves to protect their hands, and eye protection. This important equipment keeps them from breathing in or touching dangerous fibers that can cause serious health problems.
Disposal of Asbestos Waste
After testing and removal, what’s next? Asbestos isn’t like trash that goes into a bag or can. They have to be carefully sealed in special containers. These containers are leak-tight and clearly marked to show they contain hazardous material. Professionals then transport the waste to asbestos landfills after necessary paperwork proves it was disposed of according to the regulations.
Post-Removal Cleanup
After the professional completes removal, he must remove any leftover fibers. Workers use special HEPA filter vacuums and wet cleaning methods to clean all surfaces in the area. After cleaning, they test the air quality to ensure no harmful asbestos fibers are left. Only when the air is safe can people return to the area while living healthy.