Alaska (AK) Asbestos Removal & Abatement Resources:
The State of Alaska classifies asbestos as a Class A Carcinogen for lung cancer and recognizes that there is an approximate one in five increase in the risk of lung cancer with a lifetime exposure of one fiber/ cm3 of asbestos (2). According to the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, asbestos fibers are “inert,” meaning that they do not evaporate, burn, or dissolve, which makes them excellent insulating material for many products, which can put some workers at risk of exposure (2). Some of the occupations that the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation recognizes as increasing the chances of asbestos exposure are asbestos mining and milling, asbestos fireproofing, dumping asbestos wastes, brake repair and maintenance, ship building and maintenance, inspection and maintenance of materials containing asbestos, textile productions, gold mining, and cigarette filter manufacturing (2). Asbestos’ insulating qualities has also made for its common usage in building materials such as joint compound, vinyl floor tiles, roofing supplies, plumbing, fireproofing, stage curtains, caulk, and insulation board, among others. (3). For this reason, it is possible for some homes to contain damaged asbestos material that could pose a threat to its residents. When demolition or renovations are undertaken, even previously undisturbed asbestos can become damaged and pose a great risk to those involved. Because of this risk, it is recommended to homeowners to have sites of demolition or renovation tested for asbestos if they have any suspicion that there could be materials containing asbestos present. Fortunately, there are many certified, qualified asbestos handlers in Alaska who can safely detect and remove any hazardous material.
Hiring a Professional
Asbestos professionals in Alaska must go through several steps to become licensed. First, they must complete forty hours of a training course from an approved facility that provides information on regulations set by Alaska Occupational Safety and Health, laws from the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the hazards of working with asbestos, among other things (5). When this course in completed, the worker must fill out an application and enclose a $50 dollar certification fee and a recent photograph of themselves that includes their head and shoulders (5). Once the worker has received certification, he or she must complete an 8 hour course and pay a $50 renewal each year to get his or her license renewed (5). In addition, any worker who has had an expired license for over a year must complete the 40 hour course again and submit the appropriate paperwork to the Anchorage Mechanical Inspection office (7). All paper work must be submitted within 45 days of the end of training (5). All of this training and renewal coursework keeps those who work with asbestos up to date on how to best keep themselves and those around them safe from the hazards of the material. Because of this, it is always highly recommended to hire such a professional when dealing with any material that could contain asbestos.
Testing
A simple visual inspection cannot adequately determine whether or not asbestos is present in an area, or whether or not it poses a health threat to those who live there. The only way to truly identify asbestos is though polarized light microscopy or electron microscopy in a laboratory test (4). For this reason, it is necessary for a professional with certain equipment and training to complete this kind of diagnostic testing. The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation sets any airborne asbestos concentration of over 2.3 (fibers/cm3)-1 as an increased risk for lung cancer and mesothelioma (2). If it is found that there is dangerous levels of asbestos in an area, or that there are materials containing asbestos that are to be demolished or renovated, it may be necessary to have it abated, encased, or encapsulated.
Abatement
Because the removal of asbestos heightens the risk of harmful asbestos fibers becoming airborne, where they can be inhaled or ingested, the Environmental Protection Agency only requires the removal of asbestos when it poses a risk to many people, such as in demolition or renovations (4). The removal of asbestos should always be handled by professionals, and there are many professionals in Alaska who are licensed to safely do such a job. In order to minimize the risk of exposure to asbestos fibers, workers must use respirators in most circumstances (8). They are also required to remove any non-regulated asbestos containing materials, including floor tiles, roofing materials, and gaskets if they are in poor condition, or if they are to become they will be destroyed in demolition or renovation (4). This prevents any unnecessary fibers from becoming airborne, where they are most dangerous (4) it is required that asbestos is handled, mixed, applied, removed, and cut when it is wet to keep fibers from entering the air (8). Once the demolition has been completed, it is necessary to plan for the disposal of the materials.
Disposing of Asbestos Containing Material
Federal law states that any waste containing more than 1% asbestos must only be removed and handled by certified asbestos professionals (6). It is necessary for these materials to be transported to specific landfills. All wastes that could contain asbestos must be wetted, placed in approved containers, and must be labeled as follows: “CAUTION. CONTAINS ASBESTOS FIBER. AVOID CREATING DUST. CANCER AND LUNG DISEASE HAZARD” (6). Any landfill that is to receive materials that contain asbestos will need to be contacted in advance, and records will need to be taken of any materials (6). It is important to note that some landfills have restrictions against accepting any materials from outside certain geographic boundaries (6). Once the waste arrives it must be inspected and buried as soon as possible.
If you are planning on any renovations or demolition and you suspect that you may have materials containing asbestos, it is wise to have your property tested before putting yourself and your family at risk. There are alternatives to asbestos removal including encapsulation and encasement that may be viable option for you. Speak with a professional about your specific circumstances.
'Alaska (AK) Asbestos Removal & Abatement Resources' Sources:
1) “ADEM Admin. Code R. 335-3-x-.xx.” Alaska Department of Environmental Management. April 2007. 25 Sept 2007. <http://www.adem.alabama.gov/Regulations/Div3/Division3407.pdf>.
2) “Alaska Top Hazardous Air Pollutants. ”Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation. 25 Sept 2007. <http://www.dec.state.ak.us/air/anpms/as/toxics/carc/asbestos.pdf>
3) "Asbestos - Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia." Wikipedia. 26 Aug. 2006. 27 Aug.< http:// http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asbestos>.
4) “Asbestos Fact Sheet.” Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation. January 2006. 25 September 2007. <http://www.dec.state.ak.us/eh/sw/Factsheets/Asbestos2.pdf>.
5) “Asbestos Removal Worker- Federal and Alaska Licensing Requirements.” Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development. 25 September 2007. <http://www.labor.state.ak.us/research/dlo/asbestos.htm>.
6) “Construction and Demolition Debris in Rural Alaska.” Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation. January 2007. 25 Sept 2007. < http://www.dec.state.ak.us/eh/sw/Factsheets/C-and-D-Debris-in-Rural-Alaska.pdf>.
7) “Instructions for State of Alaska Certificate of Fitness.” Alaska Department of Labor. 25 Sept 2007. <http://www.labor.state.ak.us/lss/forms/Requirements%20for%20Asbestos.pdf>.
8) “Safety Plan.” Alaska Department of Health and Social Services. 25 September 2007. <http://www.hss.state.ak.us/das/facilities/safetyPlan/SafetyPandP.htm#TOCAxE>.
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