Asbestos Release from Whole-Building Demolition of Buildings with Asbestos-Containing Material

Abstract

The whole-building demolition method, which entails one-or two-story buildings pushed down by heavy equipment, loaded into trucks, and hauled away, is generally the most cost-effective means to remove small buildings. For taller buildings, a crane and wrecking ball may be used initially to reduce the height of the building. Demolitions might release asbestos fibers from friable asbestos-containing material (ACM). Fibers also might be released from nominally nonfriable ACM (Categories I and II nonfriable ACM) if it becomes friable after rough handling throughout the whole-building demolition process. This paper reports on asbestos air monitoring from two demolition projects involving ACM. In one building, Category II nonfriable ACM was present because it could not be removed safely prior to demolition. Both projects had large quantities of gypsum wallboard with ACM joint compound and ACM flooring. One building had large quantities of ACM spray-on ceiling material. During the demolitions personal air monitoring of the workers and area air monitoring downwind and around the sites were conducted. The monitoring found the concentrations of fibers detected by phase contrast microscopy were generally well below the permissible exposure limits (PEL) of workers. Electron microcopy analysis of samples at or near the PEL indicated most of the fibers were not asbestos, and the actual asbestos exposure was often below the detection limit of the procedure. The buildings were kept wet with fire hoses during the demolition and that required large quantities of water, 20,000-60,000 gal/day (75-225 m(3)/day). Earlier studies found little asbestos release from buildings containing only nonfriable ACM demolished by this method. This project found a negligible release of asbestos fibers, despite the presence of nonfriable materials that might become friable, such as ACM joint compound and spray-on ACM ceiling coating.

Asbestos Exposure among Construction Workers During Demolition of Old Houses in Tehran, Iran

“…Brown (1987) reported that mean asbestos concentrations during renovation and demolition of asbestos-cement clad building were 0.3 to 0.6 f/ml for roofs and less than 0.1 f/ml for walls, which are higher than the amounts were found in this study. In the current study, the average concentration was 0.2 SEM f/ml (0.07 PCM f/ml), which is considerably lower than the levels of asbestos reported in some of the previous studies 5 , 18 ) . It is interesting to note that, the SEM results were higher than the PCM results for all the personal samples.…”

“…Tang tong (2008) reported that construction workers may have been exposed to concentrations of airborne asbestos approximately 4 times higher than the OSHA PEL of 0.1 f/ml 4 ) . Other reported measurements of asbestos fibers during the demolition of roofing were 0.6 f/ml 5 ) . During recent decade, some courtiers have banned using all types of asbestos 6 , 7 ) .…”

“…Asbestos has been found extensively in construction materials, including thermal insulation, fire proofing, decorative surfacing, pipe insulation, floor tiles, acoustical products, ventilation ducts and chimney pipes. During the demolition of residential or commercial structures these materials can be disturbed generating airborne asbestos fibers and placing those on site at risk of asbestos related diseases 4 , 5 ) . Tang tong (2008) reported that construction workers may have been exposed to concentrations of airborne asbestos approximately 4 times higher than the OSHA PEL of 0.1 f/ml 4 ) .…”

Framework for assessment and phytoremediation of asbestos-contaminated sites

“…More importantly, it allowed detection of non-friable asbestos contaminated material potentially not detected with a whole soil milling process. We refer to the class of asbestos containing material that cannot be crumbled, pulverized, or reduced to powder by pressure (Perkins et al 2007). Currently, EPA is evaluating this sampling method for its applicability to Superfund site characterization.…”

Estimating the Additional Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Korea: Focused on Demolition of Asbestos Containing Materials in Building

“…Most at risk, in this case, is the health of demolition workers and the general public [ 27 ]. The EPA’s National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP), the Occupational Safety and Health Act (2009), and the Asbestos Safety Management Act (2012) state that all ACM must be removed from buildings in advance of demolition [ 28 , 29 ]. Therefore, the building demolition process generates GHG emissions two-fold—first by the precursory step of ACM removal, and second, by the demolition itself.…”