Effects of Asbestos When Wet

Asbestos was a building material widely used between the early 1900s and 1970s. As well as being used in cement, it can be found in insulation material and wall cavities. The use of asbestos was banned in the 1970s after it was discovered that fibers in the material caused cancer, lung plaques and respiratory problems when inhaled. As it was widely used over a long period of time, many buildings still contain asbestos today.

Reducing the Spread of Fibers

• Old asbestos or that which is in poor condition can release harmful microfibers into the environment, which can be damaging to people's health. However, if the fibers are dampened using a hose or a spray bottle, the fibers are less likely to break off. This allows the asbestos material to be removed without having to seal off an area.

Dangers of Removal

• According to attorneys Brayton Purcell LLP, environmental groups have raised concerns over the safety of this method of asbestos removal. Wetting asbestos before removing it is cheaper than quarantining the area. However, it is impossible to measure the amount of asbestos released into the air using this method, meaning people could still potentially inhale dangerous fibers.

Removing Large Blocks

• Broken pieces of asbestos material are the most dangerous to be around, as they are most likely to release fibers into the environment. Therefore, it can be difficult to remove large portions of such material without this risk. Wetting asbestos, however, prevents many fibers from being released and allows large blocks of a material to be broken into more manageable pieces and removed. According to the Mid Sussex District Council, broken asbestos should then be wrapped in plastic sheeting and identified accordingly.