Asbestos remediation is a very important process. It helps protect the owners and occupants of a building from chemical exposure that could have serious long-term health consequences. It also makes that building more sustainable for long-term human use. Proper materials handling is also important for the professionals doing asbestos removal.
However, improper asbestos remediation can do more harm than good. Businesses that remove materials containing asbestos need to follow certain practices or risk endangering the broader community.
Improper removal processes can cause local contamination
There are many different rules about how to properly remove materials and products containing asbestos from a building. For example, the use of liquids to prevent the dry particulate spreading of asbestos powder is common.
Unfortunately, as a recent criminal case out of New York demonstrates, companies may ignore even this most basic of common-sense safety rules. According to documents submitted as part of the prosecution of a company that did not follow proper asbestos removal practices, they engaged in dry removal, which resulted in the visible spread of asbestos particulate from their various work sites.
The company exacerbated this issue by also failing to properly seal off spaces during remediation, meaning that the particulates could escape into nearby rooms or even exterior spaces. Any individual working or even walking nearby could end up inhaling dangerous amounts of asbestos without knowing the risks involved.
Proper remediation techniques are crucial. Those who have worked for companies that don’t follow the right rules while handling asbestos or who have worked or lived in buildings that had improper asbestos removal may have higher risks for developing asbestos-related diseases years later.