What is asbestos you ask? Well asbestos is the name for a group of naturally
occurring silicate minerals that can be separated into fibers. The fibers are strong,
durable, and resistant to heat and fire. They are also long, thin, and
flexible, so that they can even be woven into cloth. Because of these
qualities, asbestos has been used in thousands if consumer, industrial,
maritime, automotive, scientific and building products. During the twentieth
century, some 30 million tons of asbestos were used in industrial sites, homes,
schools, shipyards and commercial buildings in the United States.
There are several types of asbestos fibers, of which three have been used for
commercial applications: (1) Chrysotile, or white asbestos, comes mainly from
Canada, and has been very widely used in the US. It is white-gray in color and
found in serpentine rock. (2) Amosite, or brown asbestos, comes from southern
Africa. (3) Crocidolite, or blue asbestos, comes from southern Africa or
Australia. Amosite and crocidolite are called amphiboles. This term refers to
the nature of their geologic formation. Other asbestos fibers that have not
been used commercially are tremolite, actinolite and anthophyllite, although
they are sometimes contaminants in asbestos-containing products.
What are asbestos containing products? What is common to many
asbestos-containing products is that they were used to contain heat (i.e.
thermal insulation). It is impossible to list all of the products that have, at
one time or another, contained asbestos. Some of the more common
asbestos-containing products are pipe-covering, insulating cement, insulating
block, asbestos cloth, gaskets, patching materials, thermal seals, refractory
and boiler insulation material, transit board. Some more materials are asbestos
cement pipe, fireproofing spray, joint compound, vinyl floor tile, ceiling
tile, mastics, adhesives, coatings, acoustical textures, duct installation for
heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, roofing products, insulated
electrical wire and panels, and brake and cloth assemblies. Some of these
products contained a very high proportion of asbestos, while others contained
small amounts.
Some people may ask why is asbestos still a problem. Well asbestos is still a
problem. It’s because a great deal of it has been used In the United States and
elsewhere. Also because many asbestos containing products remain in buildings,
ship, industrial facilities and other environment where the fibers can become
airborne, and because of the serious human health hazards of inhaling asbestos
fibers.
Asbestos in the home can be very dangerous. It is very common for homes built
or remodeled before the 1970’s to have asbestos-containing materials in them.
During the twentieth century, about 30 million tons of asbestos fibers were
used in the United States, and some of this asbestos ended up in residential
buildings. If you have purchased a home or are considering the purchase of one,
the presence of asbestos is nor necessarily a problem. The majority of
individuals with asbestos related diseases have been in the business of
manufacturing, installing and/or removing asbestos products. Fortunately, most
people exposed to small amounts of asbestos do not develop asbestos related
health problems. However, there is no known “safe” level of exposure,
therefore, all exposure to asbestos should be avoided.
The worst possible place asbestos can be is in your school. Asbestos containing
products were used extensively in the construction of schools and other public
buildings in the 1970’s. In 1986, Congress passed the Asbestos Hazard Emergency
Response Act (AHERA) to protect public and private school children and school
employees from asbestos exposure. AHERA acknowledges that asbestos materials in
schools that are intact generally do not pose a health risk, and includes
provisions to monitor the condition of asbestos containing materials, to manage
the materials, and to keep open the lines of communications between all
interested parties. The provisions of AHERA are relevant for schools in the
United States and its possessions. Provisions of AHERA: each school must
designate and train a person to oversee asbestos related activities in the
school. This person can be a consultant or a school employee.
All buildings must be inspected for the presence of asbestos containing
material. A management plan for controlling asbestos exposure must be
developed, using accredited inspection personnel to implement the plan. All
records should be available for public review. All teachers, parents and
employees should be informed annually about the asbestos related activities in
the school. In the past, school districts have been fined for failing to meet
provisions of AHERA. This is not, however, an area of litigation that this law
office handles.
If you do not dispose asbestos the proper way, you can be in serious danger.
All asbestos waste and the disposable clothing, filters, equipment, and
building materials, which are not to be cleaned and reused, must be disposed of
as asbestos waste. The material must be in double plastic bags, labeled as
asbestos, hauled to an approved asbestos landfill in a covered vehicle, and
disposed of according to EPA, state and local regulations. The contractor or
homeowner should contact the health department or air pollution control agency
in the area where the asbestos removal is to take place to determine local
notification, removal, and disposal requirement sites.
How to dispose of asbestos the proper way:
1. Place all dampened filters, cloths, mop heads and other asbestos wastes into
a transparent (6 mil) plastic bag. Seal the bag with heavy-duty tape. Place the
first bag into a second bag.
2. If the bags are not already preprinted, label the bags with a sign: “DANGER;
CONTAINS ASBESTOS FIBERS, AVOID CREATING DUST, CANCER AND LUNG DISEASE HAZARD”.
The sign should be placed between the two transparent plastic bags. Seal the
second bag with heavy-duty tape.
3. Place the sealed and labeled bags with other solid waste material for
pick-up and delivery to an approved waste disposal site. Asbestos waster
materials should be disposed of according to federal and local regulations.
Health concerns are very important when you are talking about asbestos.
Asbestos tends to break down into a dust of microscopic size fibers. Because of
their size and shape, these tiny fibers remain suspended in the air for long
periods of time and can easily penetrate body tissues after being inhaled or
ingested. Because of their durability, these fibers can remain in the body for
many years and thereby become the cause of asbestos related diseases.
Symptoms of these diseases generally do not appear for 10 to 30 years after the
exposure. Therefore, long before its effects are detectable, asbestos related
injury to the body might have already occurred. There is no safe leave of
exposure known that therefore exposure to friable asbestos should be avoided.
Remember that the asbestos fibers that would cause health problems are much too
small to be seen without a powerful microscope. In fact, an average hair is
approximately 1200 times thicker than an asbestos fiber. It is important that
you not release fibers into the air or onto yourself when taking samples. Only
you should be in the room when sampling is accomplished.
Repairing asbestos. Where and how to repair asbestos is different is all
places. Pipe, furnace, and boiler insulation: when the insulation material will
move at the touch of the hand or cover no longer feels firm and tight, the
insulation is probably too deteriorated for repair. For material in this
condition, call a professional. Repair by the homeowner should only be
attempted, if at all, where the insulation is firm and cover tight, and there
should be a minimum of holes or tears in the insulation (for example, no more
than a one inch diameter opening in four lineal feet of pipe covering). For
minor damaged areas such as this, you can obtain commercial products designed
to fill holes and seal damaged areas in asbestos pipe insulation. These
products area available from safety store suppliers.
In conclusion, asbestos is not something you want to mess with. It is very
dangerous to your health and life. If you have asbestos, do not mess with it;
always contact a professional who knows what they are dealing with.