If asbestos is part of the waste that you have to dispose of after a demolition project in your home, it is important that you understand why you will need the services of an asbestos contractor before hiring one.

Here is a look at what the contractor can do to ensure that your asbestos waste is properly handled and stored before being transported to a disposal facility where the waste is lawfully accepted.

Handling

If asbestos waste is not properly handled, it can produce dust and fibres that are very harmful when inhaled. To help prevent dust, your contractor will wet the waste present at the disposal site with water. However, they will be careful not to use too much water, as that can cause some of the waste to run off into the drains or contaminate the soil.

As asbestos waste is extremely friable, an asbestos contractor will not attempt to break the asbestos into smaller pieces so that it can easily fit into waste bags, containers, or hauling vehicles. They will keep the removed asbestos waste intact and handle it carefully to prevent breakage.

Storage

Since it is hazardous, asbestos waste should never be mixed with other types of waste produced at the demolition site. It is for that reason your contractor will provide separate waste bags or containers to store asbestos. The containers will come with tight lids or heavy-duty plastic sealing to ensure that no airborne asbestos waste can escape. The asbestos-containing waste bins may be marked with warning messages and signs to caution people that the content of the bins is highly dangerous and that they should not tamper with the bins.

Transportation

Once the asbestos waste has been securely packaged, they will be carefully loaded onto a hauling van or truck. Your contractor will see to it that the vehicle used to take away the waste is leak-proof. Additionally, they will acquire any local permits that may be needed to transport asbestos waste from your home, especially if the waste is not bonded. The asbestos waste will be transported to a facility that lawfully accepts that kind of waste (it is illegal to dump the waste in undesignated landfills). Once off-loaded, any visible asbestos debris remaining on the vehicle can be cleaned off with water.

By keenly following the above-explained process, asbestos disposal services will make sure your asbestos waste is disposed of in a safe, legal and environmentally friendly manner.

Share