Asbestos Disposal

Asbestos and asbestos disposal is one of the world's most controversial topics and one of the highest risk management portfolios. A resident of Ohio was fined $22,600, ordered to perform 208 hours of community service and was sentenced to 13 months imprisonment on 21 Feb 2002 for violating the Clean Air Act. Daniel had improperly disposed 469 bags of asbestos waste thereby causing a grave danger to public health. Condition of Asbestos is a major factor in its disposal, depending on the condition; we can divide asbestos into two major groups.

1. Friable - that which can crumble by hand pressure such as insulation, and

2. Non -friable - that which will not crumble under hand pressure such as asbestos sheets in good condition.

If the asbestos is in a non-friable condition, we can leave it as it is. Safety will further improve by painting the surface and edges with a sealing paint that will not allow fibers to escape. Smoothening the edges or surface will release fibers and is dangerous.

Friable asbestos has significant risk of breaking up during handling and needs special care. You should seek adequate advice on asbestos disposal before disposing this dangerous contaminant.

Following is some general advice on asbestos disposal: * If you are unsure whether your appliance contains asbestos, it is best to contact the manufacturer directly and ask. Giving the model and year of manufacture would help. * Ask for specialist advice on asbestos disposal if your appliances contain asbestos. * You can use the yellow pages to locate manufacturers and people offering asbestos disposal services and advice. Disposing small quantities of household asbestos is straight forward, but if quantities are large then consults professional disposal agents. They will observe all laws and will dispose the asbestos in authorized sites only. * The key element of the disposal process lies in ensuring that fibers do not separate and fly into the air. Towards this end, experts advise that we dispose asbestos on a humid and a calm day and reduce the numbers of people involved to the bare minimum. Any dismantling of structures would provide opportunity for the fiber to separate and fly. * While dismantling, keep the asbestos sheet wet with soap water to reduce dust and fiber. * After separating the asbestos, you should pack it in heavy gauge plastic sheets. Smaller pieces can be stored in two layers of polythene bags. * Any residual dust or small pieces can be picked up using a wet cloth and stored in double plastic packets. You should use similar disposal method for clothes used in the asbestos removal process.

As mentioned above, as long as we observe common sense precautions in accordance with advice on asbestos disposal and ensure that fibers do not contaminate surroundings and the quantities involved are small, there is no danger of running foul of the Law. However, it is essential that we are aware of the "Clean Air Act" and similar laws before disposing of large quantities of asbestos. Author: Jenny Gill is an international author with vast experience in a diverse range of subjects, for more information visit www.holisticsciencesyte.com

Jenny Gill is an international author with an immense range of knowledge and skills in a wide range of areas. Jenny is a mother and a grandmother and devotes a lot of her time supporting the aged in her community