Handling & Disposing Asbestos: Guide to Safe Removal

Written by Daniel King | Edited By Walter Pacheco | Last Update: November 18, 2024

Why It’s Important to Handle Asbestos Safely

Asbestos-containing materials are dangerous if not handled properly. They can put workers and the public at risk. Asbestos exposure causes diseases such as mesothelioma cancer, lung cancer and asbestosis.

The risk of developing one of these diseases increases with every exposure to asbestos. Sadly, mesothelioma specialists haven’t found a cure. Asbestos-related diseases are treatable but incurable. That’s why strict regulations exist.

These regulations aim to prevent workers and the general public from exposure to asbestos. Large fines and serious penalties are in place for those who violate asbestos laws.

Fines and penalties deter do-it-yourselfers from performing asbestos abatement projects. These projects should be carried out by a professional. They also incentivize building owners and abatement companies to follow the rules.

Abatement workers handling asbestos-contaminated products

How to Handle and Dispose of Asbestos

The most important thing to know about asbestos is that you should not handle it. Asbestos is a deadly carcinogen. Only licensed professionals should handle and dispose of it.

While you can find information online about how to do asbestos abatement, don’t attempt it. Do not disturb asbestos-containing materials in any way.

If you find any asbestos products in your home, ensure they don’t release fibers. To do this, gently spray them with water until a professional can look at them and give advice.

These professionals receive training and certification to follow all federal and state laws. If you don’t hire a professional, you are likely to break asbestos laws. You also run the risk of facing a serious fine or penalty.

Handling and disposing of asbestos regulations include:

Planning the Project: Licensed professionals know how to assess the size and severity of the abatement project. This matters a lot to local officials who issue permits for these projects.
Preparing the Work Area: The work area must be sealed off with plastic sheeting. Negative air pressure units must be used to prevent contamination outside the work area. Surfaces that don’t need abating must be covered in plastic sheeting. Warning signs must be posted to alert others to an asbestos project.
Wearing Personal Safety Protection: Workers must wear an N-100 or P-100 respirator. Protective clothing, gloves and goggles also prevent asbestos exposure.
Safety Protocols: Disable HVAC systems to prevent circulation of asbestos fibers. Workers use wet wipes or a HEPA vacuum to clean asbestos off immoveable objects to control dust. A HEPA vacuum cleans up the area after the abatement.
Abatement: Workers wet asbestos materials before any removal efforts. Waste gets wetted and double bagged in 6-millimeter plastic bags. It is then enclosed in a plastic, leak-tight container with a lid and proper labeling. Only special landfills designated to receive asbestos waste will accept it.
Decontamination Units: These units allow workers to remove contaminated clothing, shoes and tools.
Decontamination Procedures: Professionals must follow steps to remove contaminated clothing and equipment. These procedures protect workers and prevent them from tracking asbestos into homes.

If you find any asbestos products in your home, ensure they don’t release fibers. To do this, gently spray them with water until a professional can inspect them and give advice.

How Is Asbestos Recycled?

It’s now possible to turn asbestos products into non-toxic materials, like glass or porcelain. This process involves heating the substance with microwave thermal treatments or milling it at high speed. This technology has been developed by private companies and the U.S. Department of Energy. It can be quite complicated and costly.

Several methods exist for recycling asbestos:

The best method heats asbestos in a sodium hydroxide solution to over 1,250 degrees Celsius. This breaks down the asbestos. The process results in thermal decomposition of asbestos fibers and produces a type of nonhazardous glass. The glass can be used to create ceramic and stoneware products. It can also be used as aggregate for roadways and concrete.
Another method uses a microwave thermal treatment to turn asbestos into ceramic bricks or porcelain tiles.
A third method uses a high-speed milling process to break asbestos fibers down into nonhazardous inert minerals.

The non-hazardous end products of these recycling methods may be sent to a regular landfill. Or they can be used in construction materials, as packing material or as concrete aggregate.

Benefits of Recycling Asbestos Materials

Some methods reduce asbestos waste by 50% to 99.7%, depending on the product being recycled. A smaller volume is better for landfills. It reduces the cost of dumping asbestos because disposal pricing is based on volume.

Permanent Solution: The recycling process destroys asbestos fibers. It turns them into a safe substance.
Reusable Products: The end products can be used in a variety of applications.
Reduces Waste: The process lowers the amount of asbestos waste. This saves landfill space.
Reduces Waste: The process lowers the amount of asbestos waste. This saves landfill space. One day it could stop the dumping of asbestos into landfills. This will protect landfill workers from exposure.
Offsets Costs of Abatement: Recycling asbestos can offset the cost of abatement. It produces a safe material for use, instead of paying to dump hazardous waste.
Ethical Option: Transforming asbestos into harmless materials can prevent future related diseases.

Recycling asbestos now costs about three times as much as disposal. Some of the cost may be recouped by selling the nonhazardous end products.

In the U.S., asbestos recycling is not available to the general public. The Department of Defense has recycled asbestos at the Savannah River Site in Aiken, South Carolina. Private companies are working on developing and refining asbestos recycling technologies. The goal is to make it more affordable in the near future.

Asbestos recycling is a safer way to dispose of asbestos materials. There are fewer regulated sites for waste disposal. This means asbestos recycling will soon become more important.

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Improper Asbestos Abatement and Disposal

Asbestos abatement projects must be done properly. There are serious penalties for failing to do so. These include heavy fines and possible jail time.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requires certain practices for demolishing asbestos buildings. This protects workers and the public from asbestos. These practices involve creating a plan to safely remove the asbestos.

In late 2019, unlicensed workers removed asbestos at the Hazel Crest, Illinois, village hall. They did it without a permit. The workers removed carpeting that may have released asbestos fibers. They also removed window caulking that had friable asbestos. They dumped the asbestos waste into a dumpster without bagging, sealing or labeling the waste. Two companies were involved in the project, and they face fines from $1,900 to $31,000.
In February 2019, an Iowa contractor and housing inspector was sentenced to two years of probation and fined $10,000. He had improperly removed asbestos from a home he bought to renovate into an apartment building. The contractor failed to check the home for asbestos. He then hired workers who were not licensed in asbestos abatement. He also failed to report the asbestos abatement project to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.
In 2014, Washington state cited two companies for 19 asbestos violations. They involved asbestos exposure during the demolition of a Seattle apartment building. Violations included exposing workers to asbestos and leaving asbestos debris on site. Other violations occurred during the demolition. The building had asbestos in its popcorn ceilings and vinyl floors. The violations triggered fines reaching $379,100.

Preventing the release of asbestos particles and following disposal laws reduces disease incidence. Violating these rules may result in large fines and penalties.

How to Identify and Protect Your Family from Asbestos

Asbestos products may be common in homes and schools. Knowing about them can help you protect your family from exposure. It will also help your family recognize and avoid improperly dumped waste that may contain asbestos.

Older asbestos-containing products can include:

Insulation
Flooring materials
Ceiling materials
Roofing materials
Adhesives
HVAC ductwork
Electrical components
Drywall
Shingles and siding
Plumbing
Fireplace materials

There is no way to visually know if a product contains asbestos. The best practice is to learn which products might have asbestos. Treat them as if they do until you test them.

When people rent or purchase a new home that was constructed before the 1990s, it is likely to contain asbestos products. Even new homes may contain asbestos. Roofing and flooring, cement shingles, millboard and corrugated sheets may have it.

How to Report Improper Abatement

If you rent and believe improper asbestos abatement has taken place, you have a right to report it. Contact the EPA and and your county and/or state’s department of environmental quality. Report workplace violations to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Report violations to the EPA through its website.
Report violations to OSHA by contacting the nearest office to you, or call 1-800-321-OSHA.
Search online to find your state or county’s environmental quality department. Use it to report violations to local authorities.

It’s important to report suspected violations because it keeps possible asbestos fibers from contaminating the environment. It also prevents people from accidentally handling the materials.

Regulations on Asbestos Handling and Disposal

The following federal laws and government agencies are responsible for establishing regulations involving the handling and disposal of asbestos.

Federal Laws

Clean Air Act of 1970: This act established asbestos as a hazardous air pollutant. Amendments to the act ordered the EPA to set safety standards for asbestos.
Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976: This act gave the EPA the power to regulate asbestos.
Asbestos National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: The Clean Air Act required the EPA to establish these standards. They regulate asbestos materials during demolition and renovation.
Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act of 1986 and the Asbestos School Hazard Abatement Reauthorization Act: These set standards for how to monitor, handle and dispose of asbestos in schools.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s Construction Standards: Established standards for the handling and disposal of asbestos at construction sites.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s General Industry Standards: Established standards for the handling and disposal of asbestos in most occupations. The administration also has separate standards for maritime occupations, including shipyard workers.

Agencies that Determine and Oversee Asbestos Regulations

Two primary government agencies handle asbestos regulations.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: This agency provides information to the public about asbestos. It sets rules and regulations for asbestos products, abatement and licensing professionals. The agency has officials in each state who oversee their state’s asbestos program.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration: Sets national standards for the handling and removal of asbestos in occupational settings and disposal of asbestos materials in shipyards and construction sites. 28 states have their own stricter, approved regulations.

Resources on Handling and Disposing of Asbestos

Check national and local government websites. Also, check university and institutional guides. They have resources on how to handle and dispose of asbestos. These include the EPA and OSHA.

You can review the following resources on handling and disposing of asbestos to learn more:

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The sources on all content featured in The Mesothelioma Center at Asbestos.com include medical and scientific studies, peer-reviewed studies and other research documents from reputable organizations.