Asbestos Removal - Should You Do It Yourself?

You own or rent an older home, then you read an article about "popcorn" ceilings. Now, you are probably wondering if you have asbestos in your home and what you should do about it.

Amazingly, asbestos is still legal in the United States, and still put into houses and other buildings every day (1). In 1989, the Environmental Protection Agency attempted to ban the substance, but the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals overturned the ban in 1991 (2). In 2002 however, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) introduced a bill that would ban all uses of asbestos in the U.S. After five years, the bill is finally getting bi-partisan support in Congress, and is expected to pass when it comes to the floor this fall (3).

In the meantime, what should you do if you find asbestos in your home?

First, proceed with caution, but do not panic. Not all "popcorn" ceilings contain asbestos.

Secondly, do not believe websites that tell you "it’s safe as long as it’s left alone." This is a myth promulgated by the same corporations that knowingly poisoned workers for nearly seventy years, and continue to lie, cheat, steal and murder while manipulating U.S. government policy and bribing lawmakers for the sake of profit (4).

The hard fact is that there is little known about how and when asbestos products break down and become friable, i.e., turn to dust.

Now, if you have found asbestos insulation installed around pipes and it appears solid, you may be able to seal it. This is a temporary fix, and will not be effective in high-traffic areas of your home in any event. Eventually, it will have to go.

How Do You Test?

The answer is – hire a certified asbestos inspector to come to your home and take a sample. Depending on where the suspected asbestos is located, it may seem easy enough to take your own sample, and there are ways to do it.  However, if you aren’t absolutely certain of what you’re doing, you run a high risk of exposing yourself and your family.

What To Do If You Have Asbestos

If the test comes back positive, your choices are either to have it removed, seal it up, or leave it alone. If the asbestos product is in the open, or in a part of the home that is used frequently, there’s little choice (5).

Removing asbestos is a difficult, uncomfortable and strenuous job, and requires many serious precautions. In addition, if you attempt to remove it yourself, you are legally liable for any injuries that may occur as a result (6).

The basic answer to the question posed at the beginning is NO. Contact the  Contractor’s Register of Jefferson Valley, NY, either through their website at http://www.thebluebook.com/cl/all203.htm or by phone, toll-free at 1-800-431-2584. They will be happy to refer you to qualified, reputable asbestos abatement professionals in your area.

Asbestos abatement services can be expensive, but they are a small fraction of  the cost of medical treatments for mesothelioma and asbestosis. You may also wish to look at your homeowner’s insurance; sometimes the costs of asbestos abatement are covered in whole or part under such policies.

Notes

  • Bowker, Michael. Fatal Deception, p. 323
  • Environmental Working Group. "The Failed EPA Asbestos Ban" (2006)
  • Pope, Charles. "Murray’s Asbestos Bill Advances" (31 July 2007).
  • Bowker, pp. 323-324.
  • Bowker, pp. 324-325.
  • State of Utah. "Asbestos Removal Procedures for Home Owners" (2007).

'Asbestos Removal - Should You Do It Yourself?' Sources:

  • Bowker, Michael. Fatal Deception. (New York: Touchstone, 2003)
  • Environmental Working Group. "The Failed EPA Asbestos Ban" (Web Article). http://reports.ewg.org/reports/asbestos/facts/fact5.php .  Updated 2006.  Retrieved 27 July 2007.
  • Pope, Charles. "Murray’s Asbestos Bill Advances." Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 31 July 2007.
  • Utah State Department of Air Quality. "Asbestos Removal Procedures for Home Owners." (State of Utah, 2007).