Big hairy deal at my house today

[yellowperil]

[drkshdw]

I had an entryway in an old house that had asbestos tiles in it. A 4' x 6' area. Got a quote for $8K to remove it. Bought a mask, suit, some plastic, sprayed the stuff down and ripped it out myself. Then was instructed to throw it away in my curb side trash by the city.

What I find odd is that with all the health warnings about this stuff and how toxic this stuff supposedly is, you simply throw it in your trash to dispose of it. Where it is pulverized to dust in the truck, driven all around town with this toxic dust blowing out the back of the truck, until it is dumped at the dump and moved around for the next 20 years with all the other garbage. Either there is some rabid scare tactics surrounding this stuff or it isn't as dangerous as our gov't leads us to believe (follow the money and do your research on actual cancer rates among workers).

[ckelly78z]

Originally Posted by drkshdw

. Either there is some rabid scare tactics surrounding this stuff or it isn't as dangerous as our gov't leads us to believe (follow the money and do your research on actual cancer rates among workers).

Lots of money in government oversight, and abatement. They perpetuate the scare tactics to keep the business rolling in.

[flatbutt]

Originally Posted by drkshdw

I had an entryway in an old house that had asbestos tiles in it. A 4' x 6' area. Got a quote for $8K to remove it. Bought a mask, suit, some plastic, sprayed the stuff down and ripped it out myself. Then was instructed to throw it away in my curb side trash by the city.

What I find odd is that with all the health warnings about this stuff and how toxic this stuff supposedly is, you simply throw it in your trash to dispose of it. Where it is pulverized to dust in the truck, driven all around town with this toxic dust blowing out the back of the truck, until it is dumped at the dump and moved around for the next 20 years with all the other garbage. Either there is some rabid scare tactics surrounding this stuff or it isn't as dangerous as our gov't leads us to believe (follow the money and do your research on actual cancer rates among workers).

yup. Had a pipe in my Dads house covered in asbestos. Curtained it off, suited up, soaked it thoroughly with soapy water and bagged it up. Done.

[yellowperil]

Yeah, that's the hairy part at my house, got this team of guys in to remove an old DORRAD boiler that was coated in asbestos insulation. Needed permits and a bunch of other stuff, took a little over 2 hrs, cost nearly $2,500 and they didn't clean up the mess they made in my driveway.

But the boiler was big and heavy and I couldn't have done it myself, so .......

[Noah930]

Asbestos exposure can lead to mesothelioma, which is a big deal. Ask Chad McQueen. If you get it (it's similar to lung cancer), it's fatal.

That being said, if it's true that your local municipality allows you to simply bag it and toss it in regular trash, that is at odds with how scientifically dangerous the stuff can be. Surprised the EPA wouldn't have regulations which prevent that.

During a recent roof replacement of our house, we had two nonfunctional asbestos pipes sticking out of the roof. Contractor called in some environmental disposal company. $600 for the guy to go up there, yank the two pipe ends out (left the rest of the pipes entombed in the walls) and bag 'em in garbage bags. My wife said the guy didn't even put on any hazmat bunnysuit or anything. What a racket. I shoulda saved myself the $600 and done it myself.

[vash]

the signage always adds a bit more feelings of danger.

in reality, with precautions, it is a regular thing. it's dicking with it that even causes the danger. putting into the atmosphere. friable (is the word?)

[yellowperil]

If it's not too big a job that you're sure you can complete, keep it quiet and do it yourself.

But don't get halfway into it and then call for help, costly then.

In my case the boiler was huge and HEAVY, so I was sort of committed to getting
a team of pros

[Jims5543]

7th grade I took a foundry class.

I remember it well, we used to take this large frayed edged 4'x4' board of asbestos and lay in on the floor.

Then put on some tattered asbestos gloves and leg guards.

Then grab the pot of molten aluminum to pour into the mold I made.


I should be dying any day now.

[Zeke]

I think something is wrong here. I took the AB abatement test as part of my CA contractor's license and throwing it in the trash is strictly against the law. https://www.epa.nsw.gov.au/your-environment/household-building-and-renovation/dealing-with-household-asbestos That has been the case since the '80's.

The thing that strikes me a odd is that once materials borne with lead are removed in much the same manner as AB, it can be double bagged and put in the trash.

Don't do this with AB if it can be traced back to you.

drkshdw whoever told you this is very ignorant and irresponsible.

[TimT]

In my town a homeowner can remove of and dispose of asbestos themselves..

https://www.toh.li/sanitation-department/stop-throwing-out-pollutants

You can double bag it and place on the street for pick up..

Things get very stringent and weird when a contractor (third party) does some work, they have to do the full hazmat suits, negative air, baseline testing, bull****...

Just going from a small sample size, of my family members who worked in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, Taking asbestos cement by the handful to insulate the piping and boilers on warships..

None who were affected by asbestosis..

I went all neanderthal on the 100 year old boiler in my place a few years back.. wetted and removed the asbestos insulation..double bagged it and put it at the curb for pickup.. I then broke down the boiler with a sledge..very satisfying.. and with the help of a friend, installed a new steam boiler..I took the broken up old boiler and got pennies on a dollar .. a fe bucks for like 500# of iron

I know there is vetted science that backs up the dangers of asbestos exposure... but seriously removing some tile or a few feet of pipe...just do it

Just do it..

[JavaBrewer]

Originally Posted by yellowperil

If it's not too big a job that you're sure you can complete, keep it quiet and do it yourself.

+1. I also spray pesticides, work in the attic, do drywall, demolition, recharge DG in my pool filter, pour muratic acid in the pool, etc... without a mask. My MIL had some mold in her laundry room behind the water heater and her boyfriend was talking about thousands of $ to clean it up. I broke out some lysol spray and bucket of water and cleaned it up without even wearing gloves or mask. The next day I painted the wall and it was good as new.

I do wear eye and ear protection when using power tools and spoons. I'm not totally crazy

[drkshdw]

Originally Posted by Zeke

I think something is wrong here. I took the AB abatement test as part of my CA contractor's license and throwing it in the trash is strictly against the law. https://www.epa.nsw.gov.au/your-environment/household-building-and-renovation/dealing-with-household-asbestos That has been the case since the '80's.

drkshdw whoever told you this is very ignorant and irresponsible.

That link is for Australia, not the US. And you guys in California are a bit more strict on stuff. I mean, half the stuff I own causes cancer in your state.

Perhaps it was ignorant and irresponsible but that's what I was instructed to do. And just called the city to find out if that is still possible and it is not. Now you have to drive the asbestos to the dump and pay a $25 fee to dump it. But it's dumped with all the other garbage, go figure.

[rwest]

Floor tiles have the fibers so imbedded that they don’t consider them very hazardous, so around here, they can go to a landfill, but I believe it needs to be a lined landfill.

I would be very careful with dealing with the loose type insulation as it becomes airborne very easily.

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by drkshdw

That link is for Australia, not the US. And you guys in California are a bit more strict on stuff. I mean, half the stuff I own causes cancer in your state.

Perhaps it was ignorant and irresponsible but that's what I was instructed to do. And just called the city to find out if that is still possible and it is not. Now you have to drive the asbestos to the dump and pay a $25 fee to dump it. But it's dumped with all the other garbage, go figure.

Sorry. I ought to pay more attention to my links. Nevertheless, as a contractor I am constantly informed by the CA Contractors License Board about updates regarding hazmat.

A side note: The Feds govern the lead issues through the EPA. The EPA is rather useless unless the states and counties cooperate. For example, mishandling lead contaminated materials can result (according to the EPA) can result in fines up to $37,500 per day.

You guys do whatever you want, I can't afford to mess around with this stuff, lead or AB. I go by the book. Maybe look171 will chime in.

[fred cook]

In the Atlanta area, hazardous waste is supposed to be sent to a special disposal site. Taking the material up requires special permits and is supposed to be done by a licensed and insured company. Of course all that costs $$$$! Or, the hazardous material can be permanently covered up/encased and left in place. At least that was how it was about 15 years ago!