Dealing with Asbestos during the
Remodeling Process
Asbestos Mineral
• Natural occurring mineral
• Mined in open pits or underground
• Three largest asbestos producers are Canada,
China and Brazil
What is Asbestos?
Asbestos is the name applied to six naturally
occurring minerals that are mined from the earth.
The different types of asbestos are:
•Amosite
•Chrysotile
•Tremolite
•Actinolite
•Anthophyllite
•Crocidolite
What is Asbestos?
Chrysotile (white) is the most common
Amosite (brown / off-white), or
Crocidolite (blue) as well.
Common Types of Asbestos
• Chrysotile
• Amosite
• Crocidolite
Chrysotile Asbestos
Amosite Asbestos
Crocidolite Asbestos
Tremolite Asbestos
Asbestos Properties
• Heat, cold and sound insulator
• Tensile strength
• Resistant to chemicals
Asbestos Properties
Asbestos fibers are also virtually indestructible
They are resistant to chemicals and heat, and they are
very stable in the environment
They do not evaporate into air or dissolve in water,
and they are not broken down over time
Asbestos is probably the best insulator known to man
Asbestos Products
Adhesives and
mastics
Appliance
components
Brake linings
Gaskets
Joint
Compound
Ceiling tiles
Cement pipes
Packing material
Chalkboards
Clutch facings
Cooling towers
Ducts
Electrical
Elevator
components
Filters
Transite
Fire blankets/curtains
Fire doors
Floor tile
Flooring
Galbestos
Insulation
Caulking
Lab gloves, hoods, tables, sinks
Lamp socket collars
Plaster
Paints, Coatings
Stucco
Roofing
Spackling
Thermal paper/tape
Wall coverings
Wallboard/Sheetrock
Aerodynamic Properties
Because asbestos fibers
are so small, once
released into the air, they
may stay suspended
there for hours or even
days (i.e. 72 hours)
When is Asbestos Dangerous?
• The most common
way for asbestos fibers
to enter the body is
through breathing.
When is Asbestos Dangerous?
Asbestos containing material is not generally considered
to be harmful unless it is releasing dust or fibers into the
air where they can be inhaled or ingested
Many of the fibers will become trapped in the mucous
membranes of the nose and throat where they can then be
removed, but some may pass deep into the lungs, or, if
swallowed, into the digestive tract
Once they are trapped in the body, the fibers can cause
health problems
When is Asbestos Dangerous?
Damage and deterioration will increase the
friability of asbestos-containing materials.
Water damage, continual vibration, aging, and
physical impact such as drilling, grinding,
buffing, cutting, sawing, or striking can break
the materials down making fiber release more
likely
Problems with Asbestos
• Breaks into fibers versus dust
• Aerodynamic
• Unable to detect visually or by smell
Health Effects
Because it is so hard to destroy asbestos fibers, the
body cannot break them down or remove them once
they are lodged in lung or body tissues. They remain
in place where they can cause disease
There are three primary diseases associated with
asbestos exposure:
•Asbestosis
•Lung Cancer
•Mesothelioma
Health Effects of Asbestos
Healthy Lungs
Asbestosis
Mesothelioma
Defense Mechanisms
• Nose and Mouth
• Mucous Lined
Breathing Passages
• Cilia in Trachea
Smoking Impact
• Impairs
Body’s
Defense
Mechanism
• Increased
Risk of Lung
Cancer
Relationship Between Smoking
and Asbestos
Risk of Lung Cancer
2% - Non smoker with no asbestos exposure
5% - Non smoker with asbestos exposure
10% - Smoker with no asbestos exposure
50% - Smoker with asbestos exposure
Asbestosis
Asbestosis is a serious, chronic, non-cancerous
respiratory disease. Inhaled asbestos fibers aggravate
lung tissues, which cause them to scar.
Symptoms of asbestosis include shortness of breath
and a dry crackling sound in the lungs while
inhaling. In its advanced stages, the disease may
cause cardiac failure.
Why?
Asbestosis
There is no effective treatment for asbestosis; the
disease is usually disabling or fatal. The risk of
asbestosis is minimal for those who do not work
with asbestos; the disease is rarely caused by
neighborhood or family exposure
Those who renovate or demolish buildings that
contain asbestos may be at significant risk,
depending on the nature of the exposure and
precautions taken
Lung Cancer
Lung cancer causes the largest number of deaths
related to asbestos exposure. The incidence of lung
cancer in people who are directly involved in the
mining, milling, manufacturing and use of asbestos
and its products is much higher than in the general
population
The most common symptoms of lung cancer are
coughing and a change in breathing. Other
symptoms include shortness of breath, persistent
chest pains, hoarseness, and anemia
Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that most often
occurs in the thin membrane lining of the lungs, chest,
abdomen, and (rarely) heart. About 200 cases are
diagnosed each year in the United States. Virtually all
cases of mesothelioma are linked with asbestos
exposure.
Approximately 2 percent of all miners and textile
workers who work with asbestos, and 10 percent of all
workers who were involved in the manufacture of
asbestos-containing gas masks, contract
mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma
People who work in asbestos mines, asbestos mills
and factories, and shipyards that use asbestos, as
well as people who manufacture and install asbestos
insulation, have an increased risk of mesothelioma
So do people who live with asbestos workers, near
asbestos mining areas, near asbestos product
factories or near shipyards where use of asbestos has
produced large quantities of airborne asbestos fibers
Other Cancers
Evidence suggests that cancers in the
esophagus, larynx, oral cavity, stomach, colon
and kidney may be caused by ingesting
asbestos
Famous Persons – Mesothelioma
• Steve McQueen
• Warren Zevon
• Bruce Vento
• Paul Gleason
• Bob Miner
• Terrence McCann
• Merlin Olsen
What Is An Asbestos Containing
Material (ACM)?
• Any material that is >1% asbestos
– Thermal System Insulation (TSI): pipe, boiler,
duct & furnace insulation
– Surfacing Materials: plaster & textured ceilings
– Miscellaneous Materials: siding & floor tile
Over 3,000 products may contain asbestos
MDH Definition of
Friable Material
"Friable asbestos material" means any material containing
more than one percent asbestos by microscopic visual
estimation by area, that hand pressure can crumble,
pulverize, or reduce to powder when dry.
MDH Definition of
Friable Material
Friable asbestos material includes previously non-friable
asbestos material which becomes damaged to the extent that
when dry all or a portion of the material may be crumbled,
pulverized, or reduced to powder by hand pressure.
Common Asbestos-Containing
Materials
Insulation around heating,
air and water systems
Common Asbestos-Containing
Materials
Wall and ceiling insulation (vermiculite)
Vermiculite
• Has been used in approximately 2.5 - 16
million homes.
• Recently identified as being contaminated
with asbestos.
• May not be “regulated”, but has shown to
create a health hazard in the form of high
airborne fiber concentrations in materials
with low asbestos concentrations.
Common Asbestos-Containing
Materials
Fireproofed Ceiling Space
Common Asbestos-Containing
Materials
Textured ceilings and ceiling tiles
Common Asbestos-Containing
Material
Floor tiles and linoleum backing
Common Asbestos-Containing
Materials
Transite roofing, siding, panels, and flue pipes
Common Asbestos-Containing
Materials
Plasters and
joint compounds
Example of Category I
Nonfriable: Vinyl Floor Tile
Example of Category I
Friable: Vinyl Floor Tile
Linoleum/Vinyl Sheet Flooring –
Backing Generally Friable
Linoleum/Vinyl Sheet
Flooring – Backing
Generally Friable
Example of Category II:
Not Regulated Unless Broken
Transite board
(Johns Mansville)
Textured Ceiling Spray – Friable
Milboard
(Black Paper
Layer) –
Friable
Insulation on
Pipes – Friable
Preformed Pipe Wrap – Friable
Heating-system
Insulation – Friable
High-temp
Insulation –
Friable
Mud-pack on
Elbow –
Friable
Transite Pipe – Regulated When
Broken
Insulation – Friable (tape and
wrap may be asbestos)
Roofing (Category I) –
Usually Not Friable
Asbestos Building Surveys
• MPCA and MNOSHA require surveys
– When there is no survey
– When the survey does not include the material
that will be disturbed
• Surveys must be completed by a MN
certified asbestos inspector
• MDH rules define sampling and reporting
protocols
Building Survey Report
• Must contain exact locations of all asbestoscontaining materials (ACM)
• Must be signed and dated by the MN
certified inspector
• Must include a copy of the MN certified
inspector’s certification
Asbestos Bulk Sampling
Regulated Asbestos Work
• Material is greater than 1% asbestos by
microscopic determination
• Material is Friable
• Material amounts are greater than 160
square feet, 260 linear feet, 35 cubic feet in
a commercial setting or greater than 6
square feet, 10 linear feet, 1 cubic foot in a
residential setting
Regulation of ACM in Minnesota?
• Minnesota Department of Health (MDH)
– Protects Public Health
• Minnesota Statues, sections 326.70 – 326.81
• Minnesota Rules, parts 4620.3000 – 4620.3724
• Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA)
– Protects the Environment
• Environmental Protection Agency – Title 40 CFR Part 61, Subpart
• Minnesota Department of Labor & Industry (MNOSHA)
– Protects Workers
• US Dept of Labor & Industry – Title 29 CFR Part 1926.1101
Regulated Asbestos Work
Requires the following:
• Notification of the Project
• Use of Appropriate Work Practices
• Use of Licensed Asbestos Contractors
• Use of Certified Asbestos Disciplines
Asbestos Abatement Activities
• Encapsulation
• Enclosure
• Removal
Asbestos Abatement Activities
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Survey to identify ACM?
Specifications/project design
Notification
Work Area Containment
Posting of Work Areas
Engineering Controls/PPE
Air Monitoring – I/O
Disposal of ACM Waste
Clearance Testing
Who Can Remove AsbestosContaining Materials?
MDH and MPCA requires MN licensed asbestos
abatement contractors to:
– Submit a notification
– Employ and use certified workers and supervisors
– Comply with MDH work practices
MDH allows homeowners to do own removal in
the residence they live in and own
MNOSHA requires a competent person at a
minimum
Suspect Material – ACM?
• Before starting a project make sure that
asbestos-containing material will not be
disturbed
• Assume all suspect material contains
asbestos if no data
• If you encounter suspect material when
performing work STOP immediately
What To Do?
• If you see something that strikes you as wrong or
suspicious, do not enter the area
• Instruct other workers, contractors and building
occupants to stay out of the area
• Contact MDH, MPCA or MNOSHA
Agency Assistance
• Provide clarification/interpretation of regulations
• Assist property owners or contracting entities in
understanding their responsibilities
• Assist licensed asbestos contractors and other contractors
in maintaining compliance with the regulations
• Provide lists of:
–
–
–
–
licensed asbestos contractors
environmental consulting firms
analytical laboratories
Hazardous waste landfills
• Provide compliance history
Why does MDH conduct
compliance inspections?
• To determine compliance with the
Minnesota Asbestos Abatement Act and
Rules
• To protect Public Health and the
Environment
Agency Inspections
Three Primary Types
• Pre-Project (variance)
• Scheduled (based on notifications)
• Complaint (workers, contractor, homeowner)
How are violations determined?
• Violations are identified
– On-site observation
– Through project documentation review
What are the Types of Violations?
• Administrative Violations
• Work Practice Violations
Common Administrative Violations
• Certification (Hard Card) Issues
– Expired
– Not On Site
• License, Permit, Notification Issues
• Project Plan Issues
– Incomplete
• Manometer Record Issues
– Not Recorded
– Missing Records
Common Work Practice Violations
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Installation of Critical Barriers
Containment
Decontamination Units
Removal of ACM
Completion of Abatement
Glove Bag Procedures
Facility Component Removal (Wrap and
Cut)
• Air Monitoring
What Causes Violations?
•
•
•
•
Multiple Distractions
Working Too Fast
Working Carelessly
Relying On The Hygienist
Questions?
MDH – 651-201-4620
www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/asbestos
MPCA – 651-296-6300
http://www.pca.state.mn.us
MNOSHA – 651-284-5050
http://www.doli.state.mn.us