Asbestos & Demolition Removal Methods

• Asbestos demolition and removal should be done by trained asbestos experts. Thinkstock/Comstock/Getty Images

  The methods for demolishing and removing asbestos are dangerous. Long used to insulate buildings and heat systems, asbestos is now removed by experts whenever it is found. The Mesothelioma and Asbestos Awareness Center website warns that handling asbestos is dangerous. It can cause the lung disease known as mesothelioma. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) have stringent requirements for contractors demolishing and removing asbestos. The agencies hope to abate the danger of asbestos exposure to anyone in the vicinity of the removal activity.

Dry Stripping

• Most asbestos demolition and removal is done with the dry stripping method. This is the least expensive but most dangerous way to remove the material. It is dangerous because when disturbed, the material becomes friable and the dust levels increase. The material is cut or ripped out then contained in wrappings that will not allow the debris to get into the air outside. Then it is removed from the premises to legal hazardous waste disposal sites.

Controlled Wet Stripping

• Wet stripping is a safer way to remove asbestos than dry stripping. Workers inject pressurized water into asbestos laden materials with needles. This causes the particles to adhere to one another. The dust produced is less than with dry stripping because the fibers are controlled. The binding agents that hold the insulation also break down when wet allowing the asbestos to be peeled away. The material can be carried to the disposal system in pieces. The dust release is low.

High Pressure Water Jetting

• When material containing asbestos is applied to vast areas or hard-to-reach areas, contractors use high-pressure water jetting. The water is shot at the asbestos containing material to blast it off the surface. At the same time is is vacuumed away. The recollected water is constantly filtered during the process. This reduces the amount of asbestos that must be put into hazardous waste disposal systems.

Air Management

• A demolition method for asbestos removal is dry stripping combined with high velocity airflow that shoots the fibers into a container and filtered them. The workers cut the asbestos then spray it with water to reduce dust. They use vacuuming equipment to reduce dust not dampened by spraying. The airflow system manages the bulk of the material while it is packaged for removal to hazardous waste containment sites.