How to Safely Remove Asbestos Floor Tiles

Asbestos! It's a strong fire-resistant fiber which was widely used in the past for fireproofing and insulation purposes. The problem with it is that is has these small, buoyant fibers which can easily be inhaled or swallowed by people. These damaging particles have been proven to cause a number of very serious diseases which including asbestosis, (which is a chronic disease of the lungs that makes breathing extremely difficult), and cancers. So, it's little wonder then why folks are concerned when removing asbestos floor tiles from older buildings.

Vinyl floor tiles contain asbestos (vinyl, asbestos tile - VAT) and should be handled with extreme care when being removed. The first rule is to ensure the material is in non-friable state. Asbestos is considered non-friable when the material CANNOT be reduced to dust by hand pressure. Non-friable asbestos can become friable should the tile(s) be damaged or smashed, which could mean these harmful fibers may be freed.

Removing these tiles is no easy picnic. To start with, you will need to wear protective gear such as a respirator and safety glasses which will result in harder breathing and poorer vision. The removal of VAT has to be done in whole pieces so as to keep the material in a non-friable state. This means that it is not safe to grind, saw or drill to assist removal.

In most states, asbestos must only be removed by licensed asbestos abatement contractors who are fully equipped and educated in the safe removal and disposal of such materials. They will usually come armed with plastic sheets to stop the particles from moving freely. VAT's are usually wetted down too, so as to prevent any particles from becoming airborne during the removal process.

Safely removing asbestos floor tiles is a serious business and they are usually placed in leak proof containers and marked clearly with wording similar to "DANGER ASBESTOS-CONTAINING MATERIALS"

Once removal has been accomplished, the sealed containers are transported by the authorized agent to an EPA approved landfill site where it gets buried. There are formalities and administrative procedures necessary to record the job at hand, and the relevant authorities are presented with the appropriate documents for filing upon completion.

It is NOT recommended to attempt the removal of VAT yourself and there are probably penalties if you try to and get found out. Also, the waste product needs to be disposed of safely and cannot simply be dumped with your local trash.

For more detailed information and procedures regarding the safe removal of asbestos products, search online or contact your local authorities for an up to date fact sheet.

Andy Maingam writes articles for the website Floors for folks dot com where he has pieces on the stunning marble floor tiles and the benefits of Radiant floor heating. He also has other pieces on the site related to floor coverings and treatments.

Mesothelioma Legislation: The Fight Against Asbestos

In the eve of last century, asbestos was considered the ideal construction material. It was resistant to fire, isolated electricity conduction was easy to use and above was, was very inexpensive. But problems rose when asbestos was proved to produce fatal diseases when inhaled. One of them is mesothelioma.

This dreadful mesothelioma has taken hundreds of thousands of lives throughout the years. Lives of hard working men that have families. Men that work to bring food on the table for their children and wives. Men that return home covered in asbestos dust and not knowing how lethal it is, hug their children and kiss them good night. Men that were infected with asbestos lung mesothelioma not even knowing what mesothelioma is.

General Statistics

You would think that a mesothelioma legislation would be created in order to ban the horrific use of asbestos. However, The Environmental Protection Agency has still not banned the use of asbestos. In September 2004, the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine said that 1.3 million US workers in construction sites are in danger of obtaining pleural mesothelioma and peritoneal mesothelioma from asbestos inhaling.

Although is hasn't been banned, many lawsuits have been filed against the asbestos producing companies since 1929. As a result more than 25 of the richest companies in the US that produced asbestos filed bankruptcy because of all the compensations they had to pay to their mesothelioma diseased workers; one man winning a record of $2.3 million.

Litigation Reaction

Much is being made by the US congress in order to find a common ground between the thousands of plaintiffs and the defending companies. Such as considering legislation act "Fairness in Asbestos Injury Resolution Act of 2005". This would create a $140 billion trust fund in order to meet civil litigations that would compensate the victims with the malignant mesothelioma.

After certain events in his life, Ermenegildo Billar has dedicated years of his life to understanding and helping people with the malignant mesothelioma. For your comfort he decided to create www.infothelioma.com so you can have easy access to his research.

Removing Asbestos From Your Home

During the 1930's asbestos was discovered to be a great material to be used in building homes, it's fire resistant as well as sturdy and strong. It was used on shingles extensively up until the 1970's when it was proven to cause many diseases.

If your home was built during this time, there is a chance that asbestos may have been used, but just because asbestos exists in your home that does not mean that there is risk of developing any of the diseases related to it. It's when the asbestos becomes damaged and the fibers are released into the air that there is a health risk.

Of course, most people who suspect they have asbestos in their home probably want it removed right away, but now matter how much you want to get rid of it, this is a job best left to professionals as the very act of removing it can cause the fibers to become air born and put you and your family at risk. Today, there are many laws and regulations controlling the removal and disposal of asbestos.

First, a professional should inspect your shingles - if they are still in good condition the best course may be to just leave them as the fibers will not be released and therefore, are not a health risk. However, if you do have asbestos shingles and do decide to leave them it is very important that you do not drill or cut into them in any way as doing so can loosen the fibers.

If the shingles are in bad condition, you have two options - either remove them or repair them. In order to repair them, they must be professionally enclosed so that they are no longer a danger. Removal also requires a professional and disposal can be tricky as some places do not allow disposal of asbestos waste.

As you might imagine, disposing of asbestos can be quite expensive. First of all there are many government regulations to be met. Then there is the safety of those that are removing, gathering and transporting the asbestos. To prevent inhalation of the fibers there must be protective equipment as well as clothing. Care must be taken that no asbestos fibers get into the environment while the removal is taking place. It is a serious and costly undertaking.

These days, most of the homes that used asbestos shingles have either been resided or are gone forever so thankfully few people will have to deal with this issue. If your home has asbestos shingles, your best bet is to consult a professional. Look in the yellow pages for asbestos or hazardous waste removal. It can be an expensive undertaking but well worth your piece of mind.

Lee Dobbins writes for Home DIY 101 where you can learn more about home repair and home related issues.

400,000 New Yorkers Inhale one of the most Lethal Pollutants -Asbestos.

What they did not tell you about 9/11!

A Latest study by the U.S. government provides the recent evidence of a systematic cover-up of the health toll from pollution following the 9/11 catastrophe, which doctors dread will cause more deaths than the attacks themselves.

Belfast Telegraph says, The Bush administration witheld evidence of increasing danger and officially announced that the air surrounding the felled buildings was "safe to breathe".

But results of the government study, conducted by a consortium of researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Columbia University, New York University, Johns Hopkins University, The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, and the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, show exposure-related increases in new-onset cough, wheeze, shortness of breath, and bronchial hyperreactivity more than two years after the disaster.

Ambient air samples showed that asbestos levels in the WTC area were significantly elevated consequent to the September 11 attacks, but fell to within federal standards after the first few days.

"More research is required to decide whether long-term exposure to asbestos fibers may lead to an increased risk of lung mesothelioma, a rare cancer that has been linked to asbestos exposure," said Landrigan. "Previous studies have shown the tiny chrysotile fibers found in the WTC dust to be the predominant fiber in lung mesothelioma tissue." It is vital to note that symptoms of mesothelioma may not surface until 30-50 years after exposure to asbestos.

Commonly symptoms of pleural mesothelioma are: shortness of breath, pain in the chest

Peritoneal mesothelioma symptoms include:

weight loss, abdominal pain, swelling, bowel obstruction, blood clotting, anemia, fever.

If the cancer has spread beyond the mesothelium to other parts of the body, symptoms may include pain, trouble swallowing, or swelling of the neck or face.

It is extremely important to see a doctor concerning any of these symptoms. Only a doctor can make a diagnosis.

Educate yourself on mesothelioma, asbestos and class action lawsuits. Check out latest breaking news on mesothelioma at http://www.mesolink.org

Other Articles by J Farrington http://www.whatyouneedtoknowpage.com

J Farrington, has been writing articles for a number of clients for years. If you would like more information on his work please visit HERE FOR MORE ARTICLES

Is There Asbestos In Your Floor?

A couple of years ago, I went to replace a vinyl floor in a basement level bathroom of my house. As I lifted up the old flooring I found the mastic was white with a fibrous look to it. Because my house was built over 20 years ago, I was concerned that I might have uncovered a source of asbestos in my home and just exposed myself to a risk of mesothelioma cancer.

I stopped my project and did some further research. Prior to the 1970's many types of building products and insulation materials used in homes contained asbestos. I used to watch my father, a private contractor, and I remember him using asbestos insulation for a heating pipe inside a wall. That was a long time ago, but the research I've done shows that this stuff is still very much with us as it is often more harmful to have it removed than to simply leave it alone.

I found a local agency that does asbestos testing and gave them a call. I was told that usually the best thing is to leave asbestos material alone, if it is in good condition. This is because material that is more or less "stable" will not release asbestos fibers which means you don't have a significant expose risk. In this situation the risk is actually greater if you try to remove it. Asbestos isn't like radioactive material and isn't going to harm you just sitting there. You need to breathe in the fibers to be at risk.

However, if the asbestos material shows signs of wear or damage which includes tearing, abrasion, or water damage. Or if it is exposed to abrasion, extreme vibration or air flow you should have it repaired or removed by a professional as it may be "ejecting" fibers into the air.

So there I am with a half torn up vinyl floor and the worry that I have just very much disturbed so-called asbestos material.

Oops.

My choices were now to have this tested, and if it did have asbestos fibers I would need it removed and possibly have my house decontaminated as well. If material on the EPA's "Sample List of Suspect Asbestos-Containing Materials Exit Ecology" was manufactured with asbestos in the past, it is safe to assume that it contains asbestos. In this case, I had no idea. I wasn't certain when these materials were manufactured and had no way to find out. Unless testing, the date of manufacture, the label, or the manufacturer verifies that the material is asbestos free, the material may be presumed to have asbestos and treated as though it contained asbestos without being tested or surveyed.

It turns out there are many asbestos testing and Abatement Contractors. Some are listed locally in the Yellow Pages and many others can be found online. I called someone and we discussed all of the information I could find on my house. I had my floor tested and it turned out to be fine. I didn't need to have any asbestos removal or decontamination.

Perhaps I was a little paranoid, but I've seen the effects of mesothelioma and I would just as soon not wait 30 to 50 years before finding out that something that I thought wasn't exposure actually was. If you live in a new home, you should nothing to worry about but many people live in fine older homes that were construction, repaired and renovated during times when asbestos-based materials were commonly used. A bit of testing if you think there's a possible risk is far less expensive that what could be in store further down the road.Adrian Zhu is an author writing for http://www.mybest-mesothelioma-pages.com