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Asbestos in the shingles

NwWiKlutz | Posted in General Discussion on December 21, 2003 02:51am

At first blush, the shingles on a building I’m reroofing appeared to be slate…closer inspection reveals they are a hard fiber shingle…I’m pretty sure they’re asbestos ( or at least contain asbestos). I’ll be calling the DNR on Monday for proper disposal procedures, but was wondering whether anyone had any suggestions for temporary storage once they’re off the roof. Total volume will be about 4 squares.(The other roof section is shingled in 3 tabs over another layer of  3 tabs over 2 layers of rolled roofing over cedar shakes for a total of 5 layers of roofing!)

I was thinking a plastic lined drum would provide adequate control until I could contact a remediator…feedback?

As a side note, since the fibers are essentially encapsulated in the shingle, do they really present much of a risk?

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  1. Warren | Dec 21, 2003 03:35am | #1

    If you are the owner of the building, ie harry homeowner, you probably can legally just place these shingles in plastic garbage baqs and send to your local landfill operation.At least this is true in many states. No one gets too concerned as shingles are burried and pose no known problem to water tables, etc. Keep bags light so they can be handled easily. Remove nails so no one gets a puncture wound. A one time remover of these may never suffer any ill effects, still a respirator that fits and keeping the material wet (no dust) is a good idea.

    If you are not the homeowner, then wet them down before removing yourself from the area.You would have  keep a respirator on you when handling as you are likely to be exposed many time through a career and this asbestos fiber collects in you lungs and the cumulative effects of these fibers can stop you from breathing. Actually in most states, a person must hold a license and OSHA mandatory training. Proceedure is the same as for homeowner above and the shingles will probably end up in the same landfill, but there are chain of custody records and all kinds of potential liabilities for you and the home owner. STOP! Call an asbestos abatement contractor if this is where you are.

    1. DavidThomas | Dec 21, 2003 03:55am | #2

      Warren gave good info. Rules vary by state and by local landfill. On a nation level, >1% asbestos fibers is, regulatorally "Asbestos-containing material" (ACM). It wasn't allowed to be installed in residential settings after 1978. Older flooring, siding, shingles, hot-tar roofing, and pipe insulation are all suspect. I'm writing up a report on 52 buildings right now and the ones from the 19050's and 1960's have 50-60% asbestos fibers in some materials. In the 1970's it was down to 2-5% in tile mastic and a bit in sheetrock joint compound (which, composited with the sheetrock is <1%).

      Typically, landfill accept small quantities of ACM from homeowners. They certainly do, unknowingly. But if you say, "I'm a contractor and I think this might be ACM" then it needs to be tested, lab results forwarded, double-wrapped in poly, and taped. And there's certification and standards for inspecting and testing. Then you pay about 10x more per ton so they can throw it in the same pile. And, as Warren mentioned, you may have be licensed, trained and certified as an asbestos abatement contractor.

      Bottom line, safety-wise: If no dust or fibers are in the air, there is little exposure. If, however, the stuff is falling apart, for the sake of your saftey, your workers' and your liability, call in a certified inspector. YOU didn't choose to buy a house made with ACM. YOU don't need to suck up the cost, health risk or liability so the HO can have get their walls knocked down and a stainless steel Sub-zero fridge installed.David Thomas   Overlooking Cook Inlet in Kenai, Alaska

  2. fourquarter | Dec 21, 2003 06:46am | #3

    I am working on a historic remodel in Oregon where the old clapboards were sided over with Asbestos containing material.

    The way they handle the issue locally is pretty simple:

    The material is double bagged ( they want 6 mil plastic, but will settle for contractor bags-maybe 3 mil) and labeled.

    They suggest that you wet the material down to reduce airborne particulate, so we spray with a garden hose every 5 or 10 minutes on the area in which we're working.

    Also, and this is the time killer, the tiles should be taken off in full pieces. So you can't use your normal demolishion state-of-mind. You can't just smash 'em all up and sweep up. Naturally, some of them are destined to break, but when they do it is obvious how much material becomes airborne.

    It's not rocket surgery, but it takes a while to keep everything wet and coming off in big pieces.

    Good Luck,

    Kelley Hamby

    1. reganva | Dec 21, 2003 05:06pm | #4

      On a related note, what is the wise method for removing asbestos floor tiles off a concrete floor?  Just get underneath them gently with a scraper and a spray bottle?  They seem brittle and will probably crack apart as I'm scraping them, but I don't imagine a lot of airborne dust being created.   I am a HO doing this in my own basement.

      1. DavidThomas | Dec 21, 2003 09:52pm | #5

        Mist them down, it greatly reduces the mobility of friable asbestos - the ability to get airborne and, therefore, into your lungs.

        A HEPA-rated respiritor can be had at any industrial supply or even Home Depot.  You only need a half-face, not the full-face, moon-suit version.David Thomas   Overlooking Cook Inlet in Kenai, Alaska

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