Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral made of tiny, fibrous crystals. It is tough, heat-resistant, and fireproof, which is what made it so popular in the construction industry. Asbestos’ industrial use boomed in the late 19th century and peaked in the mid 20th century. Due to the growing awareness of its health risks, by 1990, Asbestos was phased out of building materials.

These materials were used extensively until the risks associated with asbestos exposure became widely recognized and its use began to decline in the 1980s, eventually being largely phased out by 1990.

Asbestos was used in a wide variety of building materials, including:

• Vermiculite attic insulation

• Insulation materials (pipe, boiler, and duct insulation)

• Roofing shingles and tar

• Vinyl sheet flooring and floor tiles, mastics and adhesives

• Cement products (sheets, pipes, and shingles)

• Ceiling tiles and coatings (textured walls and popcorn ceilings)

• Drywall joint compound

• Plaster and stucco

• Gaskets and packing materials

• Transite siding shingles

• Fireproofing materials/fire doors

• Electrical wiring insulation

• Even under the kitchen sink as a heating insulator

Its microscopic fibres can be inhaled or ingested, causing severe health problems. This exposure can occur during renovations or construction work if the asbestos containing material is sanded, drilled, screwed into or broken up, and the dust is inhaled. If enough fibres are breathed in, the lungs can suffer damage, making it very difficult to breathe, and over time could potentially result in cancer and death. Exposure to asbestos can lead to serious health conditions such as:

• Asbestosis: A chronic lung disease caused by inhaling asbestos fibres, leading to lung tissue scarring and long-term respiratory issues.

• Mesothelioma: A rare and aggressive cancer that affects the lining of the lungs, chest, abdomen, and heart, primarily caused by asbestos exposure.

• Lung Cancer: Asbestos exposure increases the risk of developing lung cancer. The risk is increased by 50% for smokers.

• Other Cancers: Asbestos exposure is also linked to cancers of the larynx, ovary, and gastrointestinal tract.

Asbestos poses significant health risks, but with proper precautions and professional guidance, homeowners can manage these risks effectively. Awareness and proactive measures are key to ensuring safety and preventing asbestos-related diseases.

If your home was built prior to 1990 there is a possibility that some of the building materials can contain asbestos.

• The only way to know this information for sure is to contact a a qualified company that holds a valid license to work with asbestos and is certified to conduct testing of suspect asbestos containing materials. This step needs to be completed BEFORE any construction activity begins.

• If this asbestos testing step is neglected, the cost of clean up, should any materials disturbed contain asbestos, will greatly increase if the renovations have already begun!

• Whether you choose to conduct the work yourself, as the homeowner (to avoid exposure for all living in the home and ensure the work is done safely, removal by the homeowner is not recommended if the materials contain asbestos), or if you decide to hire a contractor, save yourself time, money and stress by ensuring that this step is completed before the start of renovation work in your home!

Once you have the sample analysis report, or Hazardous Materials Survey, the next step is to contact a licensed and certified asbestos abatement contractor. The licensed company you hire should be able to communicate the steps necessary to complete the job as quickly and safely as possible, so that you can carry on with the rest of your renovations. Abatement documentation and  setup will differ depending on if the job is considered “moderate-risk” or “high-risk” work. (see the next FAQ for a definition of these terms).

Upon completion of an asbestos abatement job, the company you hired needs to provide you with a clearance letter which states what work was performed and that the inspection of the work area was satisfactory to the inspector upon completion of the removal process. 

If the job being performed was a “high risk” job, the company would need to run air clearance air monitoring to ensure the air quality meets the permissible limits, before the removal area containment that was used during the removal process is taken down, and have this document to pass on to you as well.  If this information is not offered to you, please ask for it, as it's a requirement of WCB to have these documents available to homeowners and contractors that will be working in the space upon completion of the asbestos abatement.

These are the risk levels associated with the different types of materials being removed. The risk level will determine the extent of the containment and decontamination set up that will need to be erected.

• ModerateRisk work activities are those that involve working with or in proximity to asbestos containing materials that are being disturbed during the removal process enough to release airborne fibres. Removal of building materials such as drywall joint compound, vinyl floor tile and mastic are considered to be “moderate risk” removal activities.

• High Risk work requires a higher level of control to prevent worker exposure to airborne asbestos fibres. 

• Removal of building materials such as vinyl sheet flooring, ceiling texture and vermiculite would be considered “high risk”.  All of these materials can release a higher volume of asbestos fibres into the air when disturbed.

Our local landfill is not a disposal site for asbestos, It is a holding site. Once they receive the waste, it is then transported out of Powell River to a different landfill to its forever home. This makes the cost of disposal much more than in other communities as we have the ferry cost to contend with here. The landfill has one flat rate for asbestos disposal and that is $1000/tonne regardless of what type of building material. When we estimate the disposal costs for your specific job we try our best to get it close to what the actual amount will be by basing it on other jobs of approximate equal size, but unfortunately, until the waste is weighed in at the local landfill we do not have a 100% accurate amount to give you.

Depending on the removal work being done, you most likely would not need to vacate your home for any length of time, possibly only during the day. It all depends on the area of removal and the risk level of the materials being removed.

If your bathroom, bedrooms or kitchen are going to be inaccessible during the removal process, you would likely plan to have this work done when you are away so it doesn't disturb your day to day life.

STOP! Due to the health risk associated with asbestos it is highly recommended that you hire a licensed and certified company to complete this work for you. If you are thinking of renovating your home in the near future, there are many important things to consider BEFORE you start these renovations.  If you start renovation work without checking things such as the disposal regulations in your town, you may be left with a pile of potentially containing asbestos drywall contaminating your home, driveway or truck bed, that you cannot dispose of because you do not have a sample analysis report to prove that it DOES NOT contain asbestos. 

As a homeowner, the first step is to have sampling of the materials you want to remove tested by a licensed and qualified company BEFORE they are disturbed. If you have already started removal without this knowledge, you may be contaminating your whole house and everything in it with asbestos containing dust. The cost for cleaning up a whole house versus a small location that can be segregated off for removal, and disposed of properly can add up to thousands of dollars very quickly.  This can be avoided, by having testing done prior to the disturbance of any building materials.

Unfortunately, I've heard this statement from many homeowners, and it's very troubling that some contractors continue this practice. It reflects a lack of concern not only for the safety of their own workers but also for you, your family, and anyone who visits your home in the future.

Asbestos will settle after 48-72 hours, but the fibres are very light and thinner than hair strands so even the slightest movement or breeze can cause them to become airborne again. Therefore, how can a contractor say he has protected you and your home if he has not taken the proper steps, like testing, to ensure that any work being done is not creating asbestos exposure? 

As the homeowner you should feel comfortable asking your contractor for the following documents:

• The Hazardous Material Survey - if it has been completed.

• Any sample analysis report from samples already taking from the home.

• The contractors WCB issued license and certifications for asbestos removal.

• An insurance policy that shows that your contractor is insured for removal of hazardous materials. This is an important one, because if they are NOT insured, you as the homeowner could be responsible for any claim for damages or exposure.

Save yourself the stress and headache and take the time to ask these important questions. It only takes a few minutes, but could save you hours of valuable time and possible thousands of dollars.

➜ PLEASE NOTE

It is not solely the contractor’s responsibility to acquire this information. As a homeowner, you are responsible for ensuring that anyone you hire is working in a safe environment. If the contractor has not arranged for a Hazardous Materials Survey, or refuses to do so, it is your duty to contact a consultant to conduct the survey before any renovation begins. Clear communication between you and your contractor is key to a smooth, stress-free renovation process.

Due to the health risk associated with asbestos it is highly recommended that you hire a licensed and certified company to complete this work for you. You can search for licensed contractors on the WCB website in the Asbestos Abatement Licence (AAL) Registry. These professionals are required to get special certification for taking samples to ensure they are being taken with the least amount of exposure as possible, and that the correct number of samples are being taken, as laid out in the WCB guidelines.