Asbestos Soil Contamination: Benefits Of Clean-Up

Asbestos used to be a common building material in Australia, among other countries, before the 90s. It lost its fame and glory due to its damaging impact on people's health. Studies revealed constant inhalation caused severe health problems years later. Diseases such as pleural cancer and mesothelioma were proved to be caused by asbestos dust and fiber release into the air. The Vienna General Hospital was among the medical groups that performed a study on this deadly substance for it Comprehensive Cancer Medical Center.

Therefore, the severe negative impact of asbestos is more than enough reason workers in the construction industry should have a clean-up of any soil contaminated with asbestos. Moreover, anyone interested in building on asbestos contaminated land should also perform a clean-up.

What Is An Asbestos Clean-Up?

This kind of clean-up entails hiring professionals to carry out removal and disposal procedures of the asbestos on the contaminated land. Most people are capable to carry out the clean-up, but professionals are more thorough and attentive to the handling and safety procedures. it is very important to be careful not to inhale the fibers and dust during the clean-up. Additionally, it is equally as important not to contaminate the atmosphere with those deadly substances for the sake of the people living around the contaminated area.

There are a few methods of carrying out the removal part of the clean-up. For starters, segregation is one of the most common, as well as the cheapest method. It involves isolating the contaminated area while retaining the uncontaminated soil. In this method, not a lot of time is consumed neither is soil removed which calls for lesser labor.

The second method is land filling. Unlike segregation, this method is more expensive due to its time consuming and labor demanding nature. This is because it involves getting rid of the entire contaminated area so the land is left bare. This method may be expensive, but it is more thorough and effective. Furthermore, there is no worry of undisturbed asbestos being accidentally disturbed during construction.

The disposal part of the clean-up involves getting rid of the compiled asbestos according to the laws of the local disposal center. It involves transportation of the asbestos to an approved disposal site and proper disposal protocol followed.

Steps To Take To Identify Asbestos Contamination

The first thing to do is to identify if asbestos does really exist on the soil. Most professionals can quickly do this through a visual inspection. But since the substance has already mixed with the soil, asbestos identification would take more than a visual inspection.

To that effect, identifying the type of asbestos on the soil would help determine the cause of action in terms of removal. The asbestos removal professional would have to take a sample and test for its type. If the asbestos is the friable type, he would have to carry out a clean-up immediately. This is because the friable type is more dangerous as it easily disintegrates releasing its dust and fibers into the air. However, if the asbestos is the non-friable type, the professional would find a way of covering it up so it does not get out of its bonded nature. This nature is less dangerous, but can only remain so if the substance is left undisturbed.

Conclusion

Asbestos soil contamination can be dangerous to one's health, therefore, it is advisable to always hire a professional to perform an inspection and clean-up before proceeding with any construction schedule.


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Wade as site manager at the Asbestos Removal Company. He is a licensed, thorough and diligent site overseer who always makes sure the work in progress adheres to legally set standards. In doing so, he manages to keep not only his workmates safe, but also the people coming afterwards. You can contact Asbestos Removal Sydney for professional services at http://asbestosremovalsydneywide.com.au/ .