Asbestos Removal Specifications

Containment Procedures

• The Environmental Protection Agency notes that general preliminary abatement techniques must begin by saturating the asbestos with an approved surfactant wetting agent. Wetting asbestos fibers allows for rapid containment. Containment bags must be a minimum of 6mm thick and be tagged with legible hazard labels. Containment procedures must start by gathering the saturated asbestos nearest to decontamination stations and progressing outward from there.

Moving Containment Bags

• Containment personnel wearing protective gloves, clothing and masks must secure bags air-tight. The EPA forbids containment personnel to drop bags from heights exceeding 15 feet. Containment personnel must build scaffolding and/or disposable funnels if they must drop or lower from excessive heights. Additionally, containment personnel must build an air-tight, declining funnel to slide containment bags to the ground if they have to throw bags from heights exceeding 40 feet.

Materials To Have

• The EPA mandates that all 6mm containment bags must be present "in excess." They must be constructed of "fire retardant polyethylene sheeting," according to the EPA. Additionally, first-class adhesives -- including duct tape and aerosolized glues -- must be available on every asbestos removal site. The EPA also requires that wire cutters, wire brushes and mops and specialized, high-efficiency particulate air vacuums be present on-site. Wetting agents must be there "in excess" and hazard tape must be available to rope off the perimeter of all asbestos removal areas.