Asbestos Material Instructions.

What are the likely sources of asbestos in my home and when should I be concerned?

Today, few products contain asbestos, and those that do are regulated and must be properly labelled. However, before the 1970s, many types of home building materials and products used in the home contained asbestos and may be at risk of releasing fibres in to the air. These include:

• Asbestos cement roofing, roofing felt, shingles and siding. Deteriorating materials or removing these materials can release fibres into the air.
• Vermiculite attic insulation.
• Vinyl asbestos, asphalt and rubber floor tiles, including the backing and adhesives used to install floor tile. Breaking, sanding or scraping tiles or their backing could release fibres into the air.
• Acoustical ceiling tiles that contain asbestos. Breaking or improper removal could release fibres into the air.
• Hot water heating pipes, furnace ducts, hot water tanks and boilers insulated with an asbestos blanket or asbestos paper tape. Damaged or improper repair or removal could release fibres into the air.
• Cement sheet, millboard and paper used to insulate furnaces and wood burning stoves. Repairing or removing the stove, as well as cutting, sanding or drilling the insulation could release fibres into the air.
• Soundproofing or decorative material sprayed on walls and ceilings. Crumbling, loose or water damaged material could release fibres as well as sanding, drilling or scraping the material.
• Patching and drywall joint compounds for walls and ceilings. Sanding, scraping or drilling could release fibres into the air.
• Textured paints. Sanding, scraping or drilling could cause fibres to release into the air.
• Door gaskets in furnaces, wood and coal stoves. Worn seals could release asbestos fibres.
• Artificial ashes and embers used in gas fireplaces.
• Older ironing board covers, stovetop pads and fireproof gloves. Check with your provincial or local regulatory agency on how to properly discard these items.
• Older models of some hair dryers. Check with your provincial or local regulatory agency on how to properly discard these items.
• Vehicle brake pads, linings, clutch facings and gaskets. These should be replaced only by a professional using special protective equipment.

Asbestos sampling precautions and instructions

(If you are dealing with Vermiculite/ZAI (Zonolite Attic Insulation) use these Vermiculite instructions instead of the following instructions.) 

The following is the procedure recommended by the Environmental Protection Association (EPA) for the safe handling of potentially hazardous bulk samples:

1. Wear a single use NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) approved respirator (be sure to follow manufacturer’s instructions) and wear disposable gloves and protective clothing.
2. Turn off heating/cooling systems in the area to minimize the spread of any released fibres. Seal off the area as much as possible, making sure children and pets are not allowed in.
3. Place a plastic sheet on the floor below the area where the sample is to be taken.
4. Use a small “zip-lock” bag to contain the sample. The bag should be clean and dry.
5. Before taking the sample, wet the material to be sampled with a fine mist of water containing a few drops of detergent (this will minimize the release of asbestos fibres).
6. Using a clean knife, cut out a small piece of material about 2 square inches or approximately 2 tablespoons worth and put in it the zip-lock bag. Be sure to penetrate any paint or protective coating and make sure you sample all layers of the material.
7. Tightly close the sample bag and wipe the exterior with a damp paper towel to remove any material which may have adhered to the bag during sampling.
8. For pipe/boiler/duct insulation, patch the location from which the sample was taken by carefully applying a generous amount of adhesive aluminium foil tape.
9. Mist with water and carefully fold up the plastic sheet. Clean the work area using a damp paper towel or disposable cloth, not a vacuum cleaner, and seal the asbestos waste, gloves, mask and cloth in a plastic bag. Check with your local municipality on how to dispose of asbestos-containing waste. Wash clothing separately and shower after completing the work.
10. Label the sample bags identifying the structure, the date the sample was taken, the specific location of the sample in the room or structure, and who took the sample.
11. Enclose all samples in a large zip-lock bag along with an itemized list of the samples.
12. Deliver by courier or by hand to a NVLAP (National Voluntary Laboratory Accredited Program) laboratory for asbestos analysis. The Pinchin Environmental Asbestos Laboratory is a NVLAP Lab code 101270-0* member.