Dispose of asbestos properly: Tips for the correct handling of this hazardous waste

asbestos removal Vancouver

Fibers of the hard-wearing mineral asbestos and building materials containing asbestos have been used primarily as an insulating material and for fiber cement components because of their excellent technical properties. For asbestos is characterized by the fact that it is not flammable, heat and acid resistant, tensile and elastic at the same time. The asbestos removal Vancouver is the most trusted option here.

asbestos removal Vancouver

However, with increasing use in the twentieth century, the health threat posed by the naturally occurring silicate became ever clearer. The former wonder fiber suddenly became a problem case. Many buildings from the twentieth century had to be closed and demolished due to excessive asbestos pollution. However, refurbishment or demolition of asbestos-containing materials generates waste which, due to its asbestos content, cannot be disposed of in a conventional manner and must be treated as hazardous waste. The following article will help you understand how to dispose of asbestos and what to look for in asbestos-containing waste.

The most important goal of asbestos removal is that during transport and storage at the corresponding landfill no harmful asbestos fibers can be released. Basically, when dealing with asbestos for example, in remedial measures comprehensive statutory provisions apply. These regulations are particularly relevant to occupational safety and health, which is regulated in the Hazardous Substances Ordinance and the Technical Regulation for the Handling of Hazardous Substances. But emission protection and the transport of dangerous goods in relation to asbestos are also regulated by law.

Why are asbestos wastes so dangerous?

If you dispose of asbestos, pure skin contact is not dangerous. Only the fine asbestos fibers, which can be removed from the asbestos and inhaled, represent a risk.  If these fibers stick in the human respiratory organs, it can come to the knowledge of science to irritation and scarring of the lung tissue. This includes the lung disease asbestosis and life-threatening tumors of the lung, the pleura or the peritoneum. For this reason, asbestos falls under the Hazardous Substances Ordinance under the particularly dangerous carcinogenic hazardous substances.

How the different types of asbestos waste must be treated for disposal

Asbestos is basically differentiated according to two types of waste. These are, on the one hand, waste with weakly bound or unbound fibers. On the other hand, these are products with firmly bound asbestos, which mainly includes fiber cement products that have been cast for roof corrugated sheets, facade panels or other molded parts.

As the disposal of asbestos waste with unbound or loosely bound fibers runs

The group of weakly bound or unbound asbestos fibers includes the following products:

  • Often applied for fire protection on steel beams
  • Asbestos boards, for example as underlay under PVC coverings
  • Small parts and fragments of asbestos cement components
  • Domestic waste contaminated with asbestos for example, floor coverings such as cushion vinyl flooring or Floor Flex flooring, insulating materials or carpeting
  • Work equipment e.g. clothing that is covered with asbestos fibers

Asbestos waste from other uses: These include materials for insulation, fire protection, sealing, and filtration. Asbestos-containing filling and insulating material as well as friction linings of brakes and clutches also belong to this group.

Waste from this group must always be poured into cement prior to the deposition and disposal of the asbestos. In addition, asbestos-containing waste must be mixed with water and cement in such a way that the asbestos fibers are firmly bound, cannot be released and can escape into the respiratory air.