Asbests Remval Prcedures fr Hme Owners* Hw t Prperly Remve Cement Asbests Bard Siding IMPORTANT: Read these prcedures frm start t finish, making sure yu thrughly understand them, befre any asbests abatement is undertaken. Delaware Department f Natural Resurces and Envirnmental Cntrl Air Quality Management Sectin 156 Suth State Street Dver, DE 19901 (302) 739-9402 (302) 739-3106 fax www.dnrec.delaware.gv *Nte: Hme wner remval prcedures apply t an wner-ccupied, single-family residence in which the wner f the hme lives, bth prir t and after renvatin activities. The term des nt include rental prperty, multiple-family units, mixed-use structures that cntain a residential unit, and structures invlved in cmmercial/ gvernment-related activities (i.e. cmmercial develpment, prperty management, real-estate transactins, rdered demlitin, etc.). Fr these prperties, yu must ntify DNREC-AQM prir t any renvatin prject. This publicatin is limited t the remval f cement asbests bard siding, ne f the three mst cmmn asbests abatement prjects attempted by hmewners. DNREC-AQM has available tw ther guides in this series, Spray-n Pp-Crn Ceiling and Sheet Vinyl Flring with Asbests Backing. Fr mre infrmatin cntact DNREC-AQM.
Are yu sure that the siding cntains asbests? Befre Yu Begin If yur siding cntains asbests, are yu sure yu really want t remve it? Submit a small sample fr labratry analysis. Cst is minimal. Labratries are listed in the yellw pages under Envirnmental Services and Labratries-Testing. T take a sample, wet and break ff a small piece f siding (abut ne square inch) and place it inside a zip lck plastic bag. If fr sme reasn, yu decide nt t check yur siding fr asbests cntent, assume it cntains asbests and treat it accrdingly. Remember, asbests is a prblem nly if fibers are released t the air. Unless cement asbests bard siding is being disturbed, it will nt release asbests fibers. Hence, the safest, easiest and least expensive ptin may be t leave it alne. Smetimes, it is pssible t wrk arund asbests withut remving it. Hwever, if asbests- cntaining siding must be disturbed as part f a remdeling prject, then remval may be yur nly ptin. Wrds f Cautin Yu are liable. Yur nly legal ptins in having asbests remved frm yur hme are t hire a certified asbests abatement cntractr r d the wrk yurself. The law prhibits yu frm hiring anyne ther than a certified asbests abatement cntractr t perfrm asbests remval wrk. Family members and friends may participate, prvided they d s n a vluntary, n-pay basis. Be advised that the remval prcedures described in this publicatin are intended t help hmewners minimize health risks assciated with d-it-yurself asbests remvals. Hwever, it shuld be understd that remving asbests frm yur hme can be dangerus. Sme release f asbests fibers int the air is unavidable and there are n knwn safe levels f asbests expsure. Be aware that n set f instructins can address all pssible situatins and variables that a hmewner may encunter in an asbests remval prject. In this publicatin, we have tried t address the mre cmmn and mst imprtant issues invlved in remving cement asbests bard siding. Hwever, cmmn sense dictates that unique and particularly challenging asbests prjects shuld nt be undertaken by the hme wner. In such cases, it wuld be prudent t avid the pssibility f asbests cntaminatin by abandning the d-it-yurself apprach and hiring a certified asbests abatement cntractr. The wrk will be difficult. It is imprtant t nte that even under the best f circumstances, hmewner-perfrmed asbests prjects can be physically demanding and ptentially dangerus. Breathing thrugh a respiratr is mre difficult than nrmal breathing and places an additinal stress n yur heart and lungs. Prtective clthing can becme ht and uncmfrtable. Wrk can invlve ladders and high spaces. Eye prtectin ften results in reduced visibility. Cautin must be taken with wiring and electrical pwer because f all the water being used t wet the asbests. The Delaware Department f Natural Resurces and Envirnmental Cntrl assumes n liability r respnsibility fr injuries, illnesses r related health prblems arising frm yu perfrming an asbests remval prject. Yu assume all risks invlved.
Remval Prcedures Basic Rules Wrker prtectin. During remval, yu will need t prtect yurself frm breathing r spreading asbests fibers by wearing an apprpriate respiratr, dispsable cveralls, gggles, dispsable glves, and rubber bts (r shes that may need t be thrwn ut after the prject). Wetting. Wetting is critical t asbests fiber cntrl. Befre, during and after remval, asbests siding shuld be thrughly wetted with water in rder t keep asbests fibers ut f the air. Once remved, asbests debris shuld be kept wet until packaged and sealed fr dispsal. Cntainment. Yu will need t cntain yur asbests debris and minimize the release f asbests fibers. The grund at the base f walls frm which siding is remved must be cvered with plastic sheeting t ensure all debris is captured and remains n plastic sheeting pending packaging fr dispsal. Aviding breakage. Minimizing the breakage f asbests siding during remval and handling will help keep asbests fibers frm being released int the air. Persnnel & Supplies Wrkers Althugh it is pssible fr ne persn t d a siding remval jb, the task can be mre effectively carried ut by tw wrkers. With tw wrkers, ne can cncentrate n carefully remving pieces f siding while the ther keeps materials wet and packages debris as it is generated. Nte: It is illegal t hire anyne ther than a Delaware Licensed asbests abatement cntractr t perfrm, r assist in, the remval f asbests. Prtective equipment and clthing Befre beginning yur prject, yu ll need t btain the fllwing items: Respiratrs. Half-face dual-cartridge respiratrs, each equipped with a pair f HEPA filters (clr cded purple). Request a fit test frm the vendr t ensure a prper fit. Respiratrs prvide little prtectin if they d nt fit prperly. One respiratr is recmmended fr each persn wrking with the siding material. Nte: Persns with beards cannt be adequately fitted with this type f respiratr, therefre shuld nt partake in asbests abatement wrk. Cveralls. Several pairs f dispsable cveralls with built-in bties shuld be purchased. Oversized cveralls make it easier fr wrkers t mve arund. Every time a wrker leaves the remval area, cveralls shuld first be remved and dispsed f in prperly sealed asbests dispsal bags. A new pair f cveralls shuld be put n prir t each re-entry. Rubber bts. These are recmmended s that cverall bties d nt wear thrugh. Rubber bts can be washed ff later. Eye prtectin. Each persn remving asbests shingles shuld wear nn-fgging gggles r safety glasses. Durable rubber glves. Several pairs f durable, dispsable rubber glves shuld be purchased enugh t supply a pair t each wrker per wrk shift. Every time a wrker leaves the wrk area during a remval prject, these glves shuld be dispsed f in prperly sealed asbests dispsal bags. A new pair f glves shuld be dnned with each re-entry. Supplies Garden hse. A hse, equipped with an autmatic shut-ff spray nzzle, will be needed t supply water at the entrance t the wrk area. Water sprayer. A pint spray bttle r garden pump sprayer will be used t wet asbests cntaining materials. Liquid dish washing detergent. Mix a little with water t prduce the best results when wetting asbests. Remval tls A pry bar fr lifting nails. A bar equipped with a blade at least tw inches wide is best. A nail puller r nail-head cutter. A knife r scissrs t cut plyethylene sheeting. Six mil plyethylene sheeting t cver a six-ft strip f grund at the base f walls frm which siding is being remved and a transitin zne fr entering and exiting the wrk area. Other uses may include wrapping cntainers f remved siding if pre-marked asbests waste bags are nt used fr this purpse. Asbests waste dispsal bags fr bagging the remved siding. Yu ll need abut a dzen bags per 100 square feet f siding remved. If siding is t be wrapped rather than bagged, these dispsal bags may be needed nly fr daily dispsal f sheet plastic grund cver, dispsable cveralls, glves, etc. cntinued n next page
Persnnel & Supplies cntinued Duct tape. Several rlls shuld be purchased fr sealing plastic arund windws, etc., in wrk area, and fr sealing dispsal bags r wrapped debris. Nte: Safety equipment and ther supplies can be btained frm lcal safety equipment and industrial supply stres. (See the yellw pages fr a cmplete listing.) Prep Wrk As yu prepare t remve the siding, remember that yur safety bjectives are t keep asbests fibers ut f the air by minimizing breakage, keeping the siding wet and cntaining all debris. 1. Pst signs warning any drp-in friends, family and ther visitrs f the wrk taking place. 2. T the extent that landscaping and terrain will allw, lay a sixft wide strip f 6 mil sheet plastic alng the side f the huse where remval is t ccur. Try t wrk in the shade s wetted siding will remain wet. 3. Create an entrance/exit transitin zne t the wrk area by laying dwn an additinal six-by-six ft piece f sheet plastic in a cnvenient lcatin next t the plastic strip alng the wall. Keep a plastic dispsal bag at this pint. 4. Thrughly hse dwn abut 50 square feet f siding. 5. Mix apprximately 1 tsp. f liquid dish-washing detergent with water in the pint spray bttle r abut a half cup f detergent in a garden pump sprayer. 6. Remval wrkers shuld nw put n a pair f dispsable cveralls. They shuld then put n glves, gggles, bts and respiratrs equipped with HEPA filters. Remving the Siding 1. Remve pieces f siding by pulling nails r cutting nail heads s as t minimize breakage. If necessary, carefully lift siding pieces with pry tl t expse nail heads. 2. If siding shuld begin t crack r crumble, immediately wet the cracked r brken areas with the pint spray bttle r garden pump sprayer. 3. Wet the back side f each piece f siding as it is remved. 5. Keep all debris n the plastic strip at the base f the wall and keep it wet until packaged and sealed. Nte: Once remval wrk begins, d nt leave the plastic/wrk area withut first remving dispsable cveralls and ther prtective equipment at the transitin zne. Each re-entry int the plastic lined wrk area will require a new pair f cveralls and glves. 4. Carefully lwer remved siding t the grund. D nt thrw r drp it. Breakage releases asbests fibers. Cleaning Up 1. Lad wetted debris and ther cntaminated materials int sturdy cntainers like steel drums/ barrels, cardbard bxes r burlap sacks. Line cntainers with 6 mil plyethylene bags r sheets and leave enugh excess plastic t cver the debris and seal with duct tape. Bxes shuld then be wrapped in ne mre layer f 6 mil plastic r inserted int a single pre-marked asbests waste dispsal bag. 2. Duble bag r duble wrap asbests in pre-marked 6 mil asbests waste dispsal bags. Twist tp f each filled bag, bend twisted part in half, and seal it clsed with duct tape. Ensure all seams are sealed with duct tape. Affix an asbests warning label t each sealed package. 3. At the end f each wrk shift, re-wet any debris n the strip f plastic next t the wall. While standing n plastic in the wrk area, duble bag r wrap all debris as described abve. Then wrap r rll up the strip f plastic alng the wall, wrking yur way back t the entrance/exit transitin zne strip f plastic. Step nt the transitin zne plastic and duble bag r wrap the last f the strip plastic.
Decntaminatin 1. Stay n last piece f plastic and spray yurself (r each ther) with water t wet dwn any asbests debris/fibers n the utside f yur respiratr and dispsable cveralls. 2. Remve bts, cveralls, and glves by peeling them ff and turning them inside ut as yu remve them. Step ff the last plastic sheet. 3. Take ff respiratrs and remve their filters fr dispsal. 4. Wash ff and wipe dwn the tls, respiratrs, gggles and bts. Mve each item ff the plastic as it is cleaned. Tightly seal each bag r package with duct tape. Immediately after sealing, each leak-tight cntainer shall be permanently marked with the fllwing infrmatin: the date that the material was cllected fr dispsal the name f the waste generatr the address where the waste was generated 6. Use wet rags fr any further clean-up. Never attempt t vacuum r sweep asbests debris. This will cause any fibers present t becme airbrne in yur huse. 7. Take a shwer. 5. Duble bag remaining debris and dispsal items in prperly labeled asbests dispsal bags r duble wrap them in 6 mil plastic sheets. Dispsal 1. Asbests debris frm an asbests prject may be dispsed f nly at dispsal sites r transfer statins licensed t receive such waste. A list f such sites may be btained by calling Delaware Slid Waste Authrity at (800) 404-7080. Call sites fr dispsal fees. 2. A waste manifest is required fr dispsal at DSWA facilities. Waste manifest frms are available frm DSWA, by calling DSWA at (800) 404-7080, r dwnlad them frm their website at www.dswa.cm. 3. All debris must be sealed in tw layers f 6 mil plyethylene plastic. Remember, siding pieces have sharp edges that can perfrate this plastic material. Packaged debris in punctured plastic will nt be accepted by waste dispsal sites. Wrap and seal the debris with tw layers f 6 mil plastic and duct tape. DSWA must be able t clearly see thrugh yur packaging t cnfirm that the material is asbests. 4. Yu must write yur last name, address, and date f remval n each packaged and wrapped bundle f asbests. Asbests Generatr s Label Name Address [street/develpment/suburb/city/state/zip cde] Date material generated/dispsed f 5. Debris must be legally dispsed f within 45 calendar days f being generated. If yu must stre the packaged debris prir t dispsal, ensure it is stred in a secured area, such as a lcked basement r garage. 6. All duble bagged r wrapped debris must be hauled t a dispsal site r transfer statin in a cvered vehicle. After reading this bklet, if yu have any hesitatins abut perfrming the wrk yurself, yu shuld recnsider. Specially-trained and certified asbests abatement cntractrs are always an ptin. If yu have any questins, please cntact the DNREC Air Quality Management (DNREC-AQM).
Illustratins Prying t expse nail heads Pulling ut nails Remving siding Dispsal Delaware Department f Natural Resurces and Envirnmental Cntrl Air Quality Management Sectin 156 Suth State Street Dver, DE 19901 (302) 739-9402 (302) 739-3106 fax www.dnrec.delaware.gv