• Planning the Project Appropriately: Licensed professionals know how to assess the size and severity of the abatement project. This matters a lot to local officials who supply permits for different types of asbestos-abatement projects.
• Preparing the Work Area: The work area must be sealed off with plastic sheeting and negative air pressure units must be used to prevent contamination outside the work area. Surfaces that don’t need abating must be covered in plastic sheeting. Warning signs must be posted to alert others that an asbestos project is underway.
• Wearing Personal Safety Protection: Workers must wear an N-100 or P-100 respirator and protective clothing to prevent asbestos exposure.
• Safety Protocols in the Work Area: HVAC systems must be disabled to prevent circulation of asbestos fibers. Workers should use wet wipes or a HEPA vacuum to clean asbestos off immoveable objects to control dust. A HEPA vacuum is used to clean up the area when the abatement is finished.
• How to Handle and Dispose of Asbestos Waste: Asbestos-containing materials are wetted prior to any removal efforts. Workers must be wearing a respirator and personal safety protection as they work with contaminated materials. All asbestos waste generated during the project must be wetted before it is double bagged in 6-millimeter plastic bags and enclosed in a plastic, leak-tight container with a lid and proper labeling. It can only be disposed of in special landfills that are designated to receive asbestos waste.
• Creating Decontamination Units: Decontamination enclosure systems must be installed to allow workers to remove contaminated clothing, shoes and tools.
• Following Decontamination Procedures: Professionals must follow specific steps to safely remove contaminated protective clothing and equipment. These procedures ensure worker safety and prevent workers from tracking asbestos into their homes.

Benefits of Recycling Asbestos Materials

Currently, the cost of recycling asbestos is about three times that of traditional disposal in special landfills designated to receive asbestos waste. Some of the cost may be recouped by selling the nonhazardous end products.

In the U.S., asbestos recycling is not available to the general public. The Department of Defense has recycled asbestos-containing materials at the Savannah River Site in Aiken, South Carolina. Private companies around the world are working on developing and refining asbestos recycling technologies with the goal of making it more affordable in the near future.

While it may not be an affordable option in most applications, asbestos recycling is a safer way to dispose of asbestos-containing materials. The availability of regulated disposal sites is dwindling in the U.S., which means asbestos recycling will soon become increasingly important.

As technology improves and landfill space continues to diminish, asbestos recycling will become a viable and ethical way to deal with the legacy of asbestos products.