Asbestos Removal: Getting Rid of a Silent Killer

The EPA has no safe levels when it comes to exposure to asbestos. Removal is not always recommended when it comes to homes and office buildings, because it is while in motion and having its particles flung through the air that the substance becomes deadly. It is important to note just how small the fibers are.

They are smaller in diameter than a human hair, making them nearly impossible to see when they are in the atmosphere. Breathing them in, however, can create a multitude of health problems over time. People who have had years of exposure have suffered from a variety of lung relates problems in later years, including the development of mesothilioma.

If you are to engage in asbestos removal, you should never attempt to do so on your own. There are companies out there who make their entire living by getting rid of this silent killer and they know how to do so safely, without bringing harm to your family, your workers, or their own technicians. It is legal for anyone to do the removal, but you must adhere to the safety standards not only set forth by the EPA, but by the lawmakers in your state. While legal, it must be noted again how unwise it is to undertake such a job without professional assistance at the very least.

When a company comes in to perform asbestos removal, the first step is typically to seal the area where it is located to prevent any contaminants from reaching the general air. If you watch the procedure, you’ll likely note that the workers are equipped with industrial grade masks to prevent them from inhaling any of the particles. It is these types of masks that construction workers and shipbuilders of the past failed to wear, precipitating lung damage, disease, and death later in life. Thankfully we have learned a great deal about the importance of protecting the lungs since that time.

Once the asbestos removal process is finished, the company will take the material somewhere to be disposed of. This is typically done in one of two ways. Either it will be taken to a local landfill and buried or, in a more environmentally friendly move, it will become subject to thermal decomposition.

If you are planning to disturb an area with high levels of asbestos, you must contact the EPA and a company in the business of removal to take care of this deadly substance before you make your next move.