Asbestos removal and abatement

For most of the twentieth century. Health Canada notes that before 1990 asbestos was mainly used for insulating buildings and homes against cold and noise, and for fireproofing. Canada prohibited the import, sale and use of asbestos and products containing it on 30 December 2018, but material installed earlier is still in place in many buildings.

Generally not, as long as the material is in good condition and nobody disturbs it. The hazard comes from fibres released into the air when a material is damaged, cut, sanded or removed. That is why testing comes before renovation and why removal is controlled.

Ontario Regulation 278/05 does not apply to the owner of a private residence that the owner or their family occupies, so the law does not stop you. It does apply to any contractor or worker you hire. Health authorities advise against doing it yourself because of the exposure risk to you, your family and your neighbours.

If the building is covered by the regulation, the owner must have an asbestos survey before arranging demolition, alteration or repair, and Ontario's Occupational Health and Safety Act requires a project owner to identify designated substances, which include asbestos, and tell contractors about them. In an owner-occupied house it is still the sensible first step.

They are the three classes of asbestos work in Ontario Regulation 278/05, in rising order of risk. The class depends on the material, whether it is friable and how much is disturbed. Each has its own required precautions, from basic controls for Type 1 to a full negative-pressure enclosure, decontamination facility and air testing for Type 3.

Yes for Type 3 operations: the regulation requires notice to a Ministry of Labour inspector, orally and in writing, before work begins. Notice is also required for certain Type 2 removals of insulation of one square metre or more.

Everyone who works with asbestos must be instructed in its hazards and the required procedures. For Type 3 operations, workers and supervisors must have successfully completed the provincially approved Asbestos Abatement Worker or Supervisor training program. Ask to see proof.

It depends on the material, how much there is, how easy it is to reach and which type of operation it is. A short run of pipe wrap and an attic full of vermiculite are very different jobs. Testing first means the quote is for a known quantity. Get the scope and price in writing.

For small, contained jobs, usually not, though the work area is off limits. For larger jobs, particularly where the work is in living space or the ventilation system must be shut down, staying elsewhere until clearance is given is common.

The work area is cleaned and visually inspected. For Type 3 enclosures the regulation requires clearance air testing before the enclosure comes down. Using a consultant who is independent of the removal contractor to do the testing avoids a conflict of interest.

Asbestos waste is sealed in labelled containers and taken to a waste disposal site that accepts it, under the rules in Ontario's general waste management regulation. It cannot go out with household garbage or into a renovation bin.