Toxic home, safely removed, demolition process, asbestos removal guide

By David Solomon

Until recently, I didn't really realize that asbestos removal was serious business. Like everyone, I heard about the threats from asbestos when the World Trade Center was attacked, but I had figured that that was only because of the destruction of the building. It seemed likely that most people had already had asbestos removed or contained, and I didn't realize that it was a real problem.

I was in for some surprising and unpleasant results when I started to renovate my home. To my surprise, there was asbestos all over the place! Some of it wasn't really much of a problem. When I hired someone for asbestos siding removal, he gave me an extremely reasonable estimate. You see, asbestos removal is easier when the asbestos is well contained. It can be used in a wide variety of different applications, and in some of its forms it is relatively safe. In the case of asbestos siding, it can be removed in pieces without any of it getting into the air. This means that it is not very harmful to the home owners, and not very dangerous to the asbestos removers.

Still, the asbestos siding was definitely a wake-up call. After that, I wanted to sign up for some asbestos testing before I did any more home renovation. To my surprise, I needed more asbestos removed. You see, my attic had asbestos insulation. Unlike siding, the installation was not well contained. It was wrapped around pipes, stuffed into corners and crevices, and generally spread around. This type of asbestos removal was more important, but was also more difficult. You see, if you have asbestos hanging out in your attic, it is only a matter of time before it gets into your house. To this day, I don't know how much I was exposed to. I hope it was very little, and so far my health is good, but who knows what the future holds.

Asbestos hazards

Asbestos has been widely used in many building products because of its tensile strength and chemical and thermal resistance.

However, asbestos is extremely hazardous to workers handling it and to others in the area when it gets into the air and is inhaled. Asbestos is a carcinogen that causes lung cancer and mesothelioma.

The mistake that I made was assuming that, because I had never heard anything about asbestos being in my house, there was none there. In reality, the fact that I did not know meant that I was at risk. If you have a house built more than a couple decades ago, you should have it tested for asbestos, lead paint, and various other toxins that used to be used in home construction. After all, if you have a toxic home, it is best to know before it is too late.

Asbestos Removal procedures

If removal is to be performed when users are still present in the building, it is usually necessary to relocate some users temporarily. Typically, the part of the building from which asbestos is being removed has to be sealed off in order to prevent contamination of the other areas.

If the building is closed to normal users, it may be necessary to seal it off from outside atmosphere so that no accessible air is contaminated. Examples of asbestos removal enterprises include the Jussieu Campus (begun circa 1996 and still going on as of 2005) and the Tour Montparnasse (in 2005, projected duration was 3 years if the tower was emptied of its users, and 10 years if it were not).

An asbestos-containing building that is to be torn down may have to be sealed, and to have its asbestos safely removed before ordinary demolition can be performed. The asbestos removal may take longer and cost more than the actual demolition. For example, the former seat of parliament of East Germany, the Palast der Republik was stripped of most of its asbestos between 1998 and 2001, before it was finally demolished starting in 2006. The demolition process alone is expected to cost between 20 and 60 million Euros.

Fines

State law specifies a minimum $250 per day fine for failure to obtain an asbestos report. This fine can be applied to both the contractor and building owner. Additional fines may be applied if workers are exposed to airborne asbestos.

David Solomon is a prolific writer. He writes every topic imaginable from acne, baby, business to weightloss, zen and zoo. He writes everyday whenever he finds an interesting angle of story. Unlike other people who usually get the idea in front of their computers when they are writing, he gets his ideas when he does something trivial like cleaning his shoes, riding a bike, or even when he takes a bath.

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