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How To Remove Asbestos

Asbestos are naturally occurring fibrous material that used to be incorporated into fabrics or mixed with cement for insulation purposes be it electrical or building. As it’s highly dangerous and life threatening if disturbed, the material has been in the UK since 1999, however there are some exceptions. If you happen to reside in a house that has been in existence prior to 1980, then there is a chance your house contains some asbestos. You may discover it in your home when carrying out some DIY tasks or renovation. And once you do, you should waste no time in having it removed as the longer you’re exposed to it, the more life threatening it becomes.

Removal of asbestos is a task you should never try to do by yourself as it becomes harmful when disturbed. In an event whereby you suspect something to be asbestos, do not touch but rather have it isolated and call in a specialist for help. So it’s therefore not recommended to attempt asbestos removal as a DIY project unless you’re are experienced in the techniques below:

✓ Before you get started, it’s crucial to wear the necessary protective gear. These include wearing a respirator, a disposable coverall, disposable rubber gloves, rubber boots as well as safety eye goggles. And ensure that you remove all protective gear clothing and gear before exiting the containment area.

✓ Remove the materials and place in asbestos waste disposal bags

✓ Ensure to remove the asbestos without breaking it up.

✓ Make use of double bag and seal all debris containing asbestos.

✓ Wipe down all surfaces with a damp cloth

✓ Fold and roll the polyethylene sheeting on the floor and dispose them same way as the debris - double bag and seal.

✓ Clean all tools and equipments used.

✓ When done, ensure to wash face, hands and bathe thoroughly.

Is Asbestos Dangerous?

The short and simple answer to this question is yes, asbestos is absolutely dangerous. Exposure to asbestos fibres and dust can lead to cancer, lung disease and lots more. It’s known to be so dangerous that no level of exposure to asbestos is considered safe. It has been banned in the UK since 1999 but exposure is till rampant due to the exceptions to the ban and there’s a good chance that you’ll find it in several older buildings and homes. And despite the ban in most countries, asbestos related health issues are still on the rise across the globe. People that are mostly exposed to this risk are those who’re exposed on the job as well as those who simply like to take on projects around the house containing asbestos insulation by themselves.

Furthermore, there’s a need to observe safety precautions when working with asbestos. If not, you’ll be exposing both you and your family to long term health risks. Below are some of the things you need to know about the dangers of asbestos.

✓ Exposure to asbestos fibres has no safe level. So it’s best to avoid exposure at all costs.

✓ Breathing in asbestos dust can lead to lung cancer, asbestosis and mesothelioma.

✓ If disturbed, asbestos can release dangerous particles of dust containing asbestos fibres.

✓ Mesothelioma is a type of cancer which mostly affects the lung’s lining. It has no cure.

✓ If you smoke, then the risk of inhaling asbestos is greatly increased.

✓ The number of fibres inhaled as well as the length of time that you’ve been exposed to it increases the risk of contracting asbestos related diseases.

✓ The symptoms of asbestos dust related diseases do not commonly come out until its about 20 to 30 years after the first exposure.

Asbestos refers to a group of minerals made up of tiny fibres. If you become exposed to these fibres and breathe them in, you’re at risk of contracting a dangerous lung-related disease.

Asbestos is strong and a good insulator, which means it was previously used to insulate and reinforce parts of buildings, like ceilings, roofs and guttering. Its use has been banned in the UK since 2000, but it is still present in lots of domestic and commercial buildings today.

Asbestos usually only poses a health risk if the material it’s contained in is damaged and its fibres are released into the air.

The deposits of asbestos are commonly found in both rocks and soil throughout the globe. Historically, this material has been incorporated for more than 4,500 years for a number of purposes by our ancestors. However, mining of asbestos in large scale started only in the 1870’s in Quebec, Canada. It only took about a decade after this commencement before other countries picked the trail and also began the production of asbestos for industrial uses as asbestos rapidly grew to become an ubiquitous phenomenon across many nations of the world such as the USA, Russia, Italy as well as South Africa.

Today, several countries have placed a total ban on the production as well as exportation of asbestos as a result of the harmful fibre it contains. Asbestos has been discovered to be a life threatening material which when disturbed, it releases a harmful fibre that can lead to a number of serious health issues if inhaled over a long period of time. Most recently in 2019, the material was popularly banned in Canada, who for several years has operated the world’s largest mine of asbestos in Quebec.

Despite how harmful the material is, it’s however still being mined in some countries with some of its exporters being Russia, Kazakhstan, China as well as Brazil, with Russia taking the lead, covering for over 53 percent of the world’s total production.

Contrary to many beliefs, asbestos is not a man made material but a group of six types of naturally occurring fibrous minerals that are commonly found in rock and soil which are collectively known as asbestos. These minerals are primarily composed of both silicon and oxygen but also includes other minor elements.

If you’re thinking about having your asbestos removed, you have two options - either you take on the project yourself or you call in a reliable professional for help. If you do not have enough time on your plate or perhaps you’re not confident enough to carry out this project on your own, then you’d have to reach out to an expert and of course, it comes with a cost.

The cost of removing asbestos is, however, not fixed as it depends on many factors. These factors works to decrease or increase the cost of removing asbestos. The factors include the type of asbestos material that needs to be removed, if the material can be encapsulated rather than removed, if the material has been sampled and tested, the location where the works would be carried out, size of the area, the accessibility of the asbestos, if other sites users or neighbours will be affected as well as the type of the building be it residential, commercial, industrial.

With a plethora of important things to put into consideration, it’s therefore essential to call in a qualified, competent and professional asbestos removal company to provide a reasonable quote for your unique project. Generally, in the UK, you can expect to pay the approximate cost of around £1000 or less for smaller areas. However, for larger areas the cost of removing such an asbestos will cost you considerably more. The cost can be within the range of £2500 and above in the UK.

These prices may seem high at first but its definitely worth it when you look at it’s possible effect on the health of you and your loved ones.

Asbestos is very dangerous if inhaled. It can cause a variety of lung-related diseases. Asbestos will generally not be released into the air unless it is disturbed. You should be very careful if you suspect there may be asbestos in your home and have a survey carried out to check that it is not being released into the air.

It’s a legal requirement to get an asbestos survey done on non-domestic buildings and public areas of domestic buildings if they were built before 2000. So, if you’re responsible for maintaining one of these types of building, you must find out if an asbestos survey has been conducted, and get one done if it hasn’t.

For domestic properties, you only need to get an asbestos survey done if your home was built before 2000 and you want to do some building work. This is because if any materials containing asbestos are damaged during the work, they could pose a serious health risk, so might need removing first.

However, if you’re worried about asbestos in any parts of your home that are deteriorating, you might want to get an asbestos survey done anyway.

There are all different types of Asbestos. Some kinds of asbestos, if they are in good condition, may be left as they are or covered up. If there is any danger of the asbestos being damaged and particles entering the air, it should be removed. Once a survey has been completed you will be advised on what course of action to take.