Essential Safety Practices for Commercial Asbestos Disposal

Asbestos and asbestos-containing materials (ACM) are considered highly hazardous and carcinogenic, and that is why any detected ACM must be removed from any commercial facility. According to Australian authorities, any waste containing more than 0.1 per cent of asbestos is considered hazardous material; therefore, it must be removed and disposed of appropriately. However, since asbestos does not breakdown easily, you must observe careful disposal practices. The practices might appear subtle, but the importance should not be underestimated. Read on.

Double Bagged -- When removing asbestos and ACM, abatement companies approach the process with care to avoid disturbing the fibres. The reason is that actions like drilling and knocking ACMs with tools disintegrates the fibres making them airborne and dangerous to people in the community. It is for this reason that all ACMs must be double-bagged once the removal process is completed. As you insert the ACM in the designated polythene bag, you will touch the bag and leave asbestos fibres on its surface. Bagging the polythene bag into a second polythene bag ensures every single fibre in or on the first bag is appropriately secured and has no chance of floating into the air. Always ensure that the abatement company uses double-bags as opposed to a single bag.

Printed Labeling -- One of the requirements of safe asbestos material disposal is the use of labelled bags since the labels indicate that the contents inside are hazardous. As such, asbestos abatement companies use either label stickers, which they stick onto the side of the packaging, or labels that are directly printed onto the packaging. While the former choice works, you cannot rule out the possibility that the adhesive on the stickers will come off, especially when the ACM packaging gets in contact with water. The latter choice is the most ideal because the directly-printed label stays longer and is not affected by the elements.

Authorized Disposal Sites -- If you thought all hazardous material disposal sites accept asbestos and ACMs, then think again. Not all disposal sites accept asbestos; therefore, you must check with the abatement company regarding where they plan to dispose of your hazardous material. Ensure that the site is authorized to accept asbestos and asbestos-containing material. If they are then they should follow proper rules and regulations as to disposal, and you can rest assured that disposal of your material has been done responsibly.

For more information on commercial asbestos disposal, contact a company near you.