We specialize in offering licensed and insured asbestos testing in Massachusetts. Having your home checked for asbestos is required in the state of Massachusetts if you’re going to do any renovation or demolition work on your property. Even if you are not planning any renovations, asbestos could still be present in your home, causing illness.
Although every continuing education class for construction supervisor licenses covers the MA asbestos laws in detail (and is also included on the CE test), most licensed contractors just ignore this law. Additionally, most homeowners are unaware of the laws and dangers.
Below is some important information about asbestos put out by the MA Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, including the legal requirements related to asbestos in the Commonwealth:
What is asbestos? Is it hazardous to your health?
Asbestos is a naturally occurring, mostly fibrous mineral, and may consist of any one of a number of silicates. Asbestos is used in a variety of products because of its physical properties, which make it resistant to heat, fire, and many caustic chemicals. Asbestos has been used extensively as fireproofing, an insulating agent, and for decorative purposes, among many other uses.
While it is an effective insulation material, exposure to asbestos is highly toxic. If you inhale or ingest asbestos dust, it will stay in your body forever, causing inflammation, genetic damage, and scarring. It can also cause other health problems such as cancer. The physical properties that give asbestos its resistance to heat and decay are linked with several adverse human effects. Asbestos tends to break into a dust of microscopic fibers. Because of their size and shape, these tiny fibers can remain suspended in the air for long periods of time and can easily penetrate bodily tissue when inhaled. Because of their durability, these fibers can remain in the body for many years.
Asbestos is known to cause asbestosis and various forms of cancer. Asbestosis is a chronic disease of the lungs which makes breathing progressively more difficult and can lead to death. Cancer can result from breathing asbestos fibers, lung cancer being the most frequent. Mesothelioma, an incurable cancer of the chest and abdominal membranes, almost never occurs without exposure to asbestos. Asbestos-related diseases have a long latency period and do not show up until 10 to 40 years after exposure. Each exposure increases the likelihood of developing an asbestos-related disease.
Material containing 1% asbestos fibers or more by weight is regulated. For our purposes here, the term “asbestos” includes both asbestos-containing material and waste materials contaminated with asbestos.
Does asbestos have to be removed?
If asbestos is in good condition and it does not pose a health hazard, no laws or regulations require that it be removed. However, building owners are required to keep asbestos in good repair to prevent releases of visible or particulate asbestos emissions under state and federal regulations. If a demolition/renovation or repair activity could cause damage to asbestos-containing material, then it is required that the asbestos be removed prior to the activity. Demolition of a building requires that all asbestos be removed prior to demolition.
Why could asbestos be in my home if it has such negative effects on my health?
It wasn’t until the Clean Air Act of 1970 that asbestos was classified as a hazardous air pollutant. This means that in homes built before or around this time, asbestos was quite common. For this reason, homeowners today are facing asbestos exposure from insulation, piping, flooring, and even ceiling tiles. Removing these materials during remodels or renovations can cause asbestos-related diseases without the proper safety precautions.
Asbestos wasn’t fully banned in homes in a single year. The ban on asbestos use in various products and applications was phased in over time, with specific prohibitions enacted in different years.
To have your home safely inspected for asbestos by an asbestos testing service in MA and ensure you and your family remain healthy, give us a call today!
Do I need to conduct a thorough asbestos inspection prior to any renovation or demolition activity?
All residential, commercial, and institutional buildings are subject to Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) asbestos regulations at 310 CMR 7.15. Therefore, owners and/or operators (e.g. building owners, renovation and demolition contractors, plumbing and heating contractors, flooring contractors, etc.) need to determine all asbestos-containing materials (both non-friable and friable) that are present at the site, and whether or not those materials will be impacted by the proposed work prior to conducting any renovation or demolition activity.
Examples of commonly found asbestos-containing materials include, but are not limited to: heating system insulation, floor tiles and vinyl sheet flooring, mastics, wallboard, joint compound, decorative plasters, asbestos-containing siding and roofing products, and fireproofing.
Failure to identify and remove all asbestos-containing material prior to its being impacted by renovation or demolition activities can result in significant penalty exposure, and higher clean-up, decontamination, disposal, and monitoring costs.
What is included in an inspection report generated after asbestos testing?
The inspection report will identify the presence, location, amount, and condition of asbestos in the areas that will be affected by the impending project.
What type of asbestos can be found within buildings?
While the use of asbestos has declined (and is even banned in many countries), specific types of asbestos can still be found in many building products even today. So let’s discuss where you may still be able to find this dangerous mineral within your home.
- Chrysotile, also referred to as white asbestos, is the most common form of asbestos. It is most often found in ceiling sealants, roofing materials, plaster walls, gaskets, and certain cement flooring.
- Amosite, or brown asbestos, is the second most common form of asbestos. It was primarily utilized in thermal and pipe insulation, cement sheets, and ceiling tiles.
- Crocidolite, known as blue asbestos, was mainly found in yarn and rope lagging used as pipe insulation and spray-on insulation. Crocidolite only makes up 4% of asbestos in the U.S.
- Anthophyllite had its limited use in composite flooring. It mainly occurs as a contaminant in chrysolite, talc, and vermiculite.
While tremolite and actinolite are not used commercially, they are also found as contaminants in chrysolite, talc, and vermiculite.
While tremolite and actinolite are not used commercially, they are also found as contaminants in chrysolite, talc, and vermiculite.
Why is asbestos testing so expensive?
Size and complexity of the house: Larger houses with more areas to inspect naturally cost more.
Presence of suspected asbestos-containing materials (ACMs): If the inspector needs to take samples for testing, the cost will increase.
What should be done before starting the asbestos abatement process?
In the state of Massachusetts, when a project involves asbestos abatement, removal, or disposal, the Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) and the Department of Labor Standards (DLS) must be notified at least 10 working days prior to the start of the project. You should also check with the board of health, building inspector, and fire department in the town or city that the building is located in order to notify them or obtain all necessary local approvals before starting the demolition or renovation.
What are the types of asbestos abatement work?
There are three classes of asbestos abatement work:
- Class I asbestos work: Activities involving the removal of asbestos used to prevent heat loss or gain, surfacing asbestos-containing materials, and those suspected of containing asbestos.
- Class II asbestos work: Removal of non-thermal asbestos-containing materials such as wallboards, floor tiles and sheeting, roofing and siding shingles, and construction mastics.
- Class III asbestos work: Repair and maintenance operations of any asbestos-containing materials that will likely be disturbed. This is the type most likely used for removing asbestos.