Asbestos-containing materials were a vital part of commercial facilities that were built more than 40 years ago. However, once asbestos was declared a carcinogenic compound, the Australian government banned its use as a building material. If the commercial facility you manage falls in the above group, then you should have the asbestos removed for the safety of employees. It does not matter if the material is appropriately secured to prevent asbestos fibres from escaping into the air. Therefore, it is critical to engage the services of a commercial asbestos abatement company for professional asbestos removal and disposal services. This article outlines key aspects of asbestos disposal by a service provider. 

Provide Hazardous Waste Manifest

Some facility managers believe that once asbestos material leaves their facility, it is no longer their responsibility. However, nothing could be further from the truth because your responsibility ends when the hazardous material has been disposed of properly. It is, therefore, critical to hold the abatement company into account, and this begins by requesting a hazardous waste manifest. Ideally, an abatement firm should provide you with the document, but you should be proactive enough to ask for one. The manifest indicates the different handlers of asbestos-containing material (ACM) to the end of the chain. Every handler is expected to append their signature that they received the material and disposed of it. If you fail to do this and the abatement company dumps the asbestos material in a landfill, you will be held responsible. 

Security During Transit

How the asbestos removal company transports asbestos from your facility to a disposal site also matters a great deal. The reason is the communities along the way can be affected by the asbestos even if it is on a small scale. Regrettably, some facilities are less concerned with this and believe that they relinquish all responsibility once the disposal trucks leave their premises. Asbestos material should be carefully wrapped in an airtight polythene bag, especially friable asbestos so that even if the road is bumpy and the pieces break and release asbestos fibres, the fibres will not find their way into the air. If the abatement company does not take proper measures to secure the asbestos, the chances are that they will release fibres to the environment even before the actual disposal. 

Keep Facility Under Negative Pressure 

Once the asbestos removal process is complete and all that remains is disposal, employees need to avoid using the facility for at least 12 to 24 hours. The reason is that once the interior has been vacuumed, the spray seal or glue used after ACM removal needs time to dry properly. It prevents possible irritations by the spray gel and, consequently, health-related issues. Furthermore, if any asbestos fibres are remaining — minimal — they are sealed under the gel so long as it is given enough time to dry.