Clearing the Air: How Asbestos Abatement Differs From Disaster Remediation
Denver, Colorado, July 25, 2024 – Within the ever-growing umbrella of remodeling, renovation, and remediation exists the niche world of asbestos abatement. While it is within the realm of remediation, abatement is separate, distinct, and unequivocally unique.
However, people often confuse these fields as being part and parcel of one another since their spheres intertwine with one another, leading to confusion as to how exactly abatement is singular and different comparatively. Certainly, the practices overlap considerably as both are crucial for ensuring safe and habitable environments. Still, they remain distinct from one another in considerable, albeit muddled, ways.
In fact, the inability to tease the differences and nuances of these two fields apart often leads to confusion among experienced abatement practitioners themselves, to say nothing of home and commercial and building owners trying to parse the difference.
Therefore, let’s use this write-up as a means to untangle the various threads and layers of these two related but distinct practices. In doing so, we’ll resolve any existing confusion by answering the question: What exactly is the difference between asbestos abatement and disaster remediation?
Disaster Remediation Defined
Let’s start by defining what exactly disaster remediation is. In this discussion, I am referring specifically to the process of cleaning up, repairing, and restoring areas affected by natural or man-made disasters. This runs the gamut from pipes that freeze and burst in the winter to natural disasters like hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, and fires.
The primary goal of disaster remediation is to return the affected area to a safe and habitable condition as quickly as possible. It is within this context that asbestos abatement arises. The need for abatement is determined during the first step of all disaster remediation projects: assessing the extent of the damage. This involves a thorough inspection by professionals who identify hazards, structural damage, and environmental contamination.
Based on this assessment, a remediation plan is developed, outlining the necessary steps to address the damage and restore integral safety to the structure. The disaster remediation firm will either hire a third-party asbestos inspection firm to take bulk samples of the damaged and possibly soon-to-be-removed building materials to check for asbestos fibers, or they will take the samples themselves as long as they have received the proper training, certification, and state licensure.
If asbestos fibers are present in concentrations greater than 1%, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) requires that professional asbestos abatement be performed. Most disaster remediation firms do not have the ability, licensure, or know-how to perform an asbestos abatement and must “sub out” the work to a professional general abatement contractor (GAC).
The GAC then immediately steps into the remediation process as a separate and unique service provider working outside of the contractual bounds of the disaster remediation contractor. The GAC’s expertise is necessary to prevent the spread of asbestos contamination throughout the structure, and their actions are crucial to the safety of the entire remediation process.
In effect, the abatement process supplants the disaster remediation process almost entirely at this point.
Asbestos Abatement Expertise Is Essential
After the identification of asbestos-containing materials and the hiring of a GAC, a comprehensive abatement plan is developed that outlines the methods and procedures for safely removing anything that is contaminated. This may include a mandated project design defining the features of the abatement and the identification of internal safety measures to protect workers and occupants from exposure.
This phase includes obtaining the necessary permits and variances from the CDPHE. All disaster remediation projects that involve removing and cleaning up disturbed or dislodged construction materials exceeding 32 square feet or 50 linear feet in a residence or 160 square feet or 260 linear feet in a commercial building require this step.
Once permits are acquired, containments are built out of plastic sheeting to prevent the spread of asbestos fibers from the affected area, and negative air pressure systems are established. Debris is removed, and contents are cleaned utilizing specialized equipment and techniques. The removed materials are placed in sealed containers and transported to designated disposal sites that can safely handle the hazardous waste.
Following this process, technicians thoroughly clean and decontaminate the area to ensure no asbestos fibers remain. This is verified via a visual inspection and air quality test by a third-party firm. Until the area is confirmed safe and ready for re-occupancy, the containment remains in place, and the area is re-cleaned as necessary.
This process occurs outside the disaster remediation activities, although it is sometimes understandably conflated with them. The confusion lies in the fact that both processes serve to restore a given space to its safety and functionality. However, abatement is a targeted process focusing specifically on removing dangerous asbestos-containing materials and their residual fibers. Consequently it supersedes the disaster remediation process both regulatorily and ethically.
The abatement process temporarily interferes with disaster remediation activities like debris removal, water extraction, and drying, but disaster remediation is still essential. However, once the abatement is complete, disaster remediation professionals can step back into the project and begin repairing or rebuilding the damaged structure. This can include reinforcing foundations, repairing roofs, replacing damaged walls, and addressing any other structural issues to restore the integrity and safety of the building.
Summing It Up: Disaster Remediation and Asbestos Abatement
Ultimately, the most significant differences between disaster remediation and asbestos abatement are their scope and focus. While disaster remediation addresses the aftermath of disasters and can encompass a wide range of activities to restore safety and functionality, abatement exists both underneath this umbrella as well as distinctly outside of it as a targeted process focused specifically on the safe removal of dangerous materials.
The moment debris from a disaster is tested (as CDPHE regulations mandate) and a positive result is returned, asbestos abatement wholly and completely supplants the disaster remediation process. A GAC must be hired to perform the work, as it cannot be handled by a traditional disaster remediation firm.
The confusion arises from the fact that both processes mitigate health and safety risks. However, abatement is singularly designed to remove distinct hazards like asbestos and must be prioritized to restore safe living and working conditions and protect public health.
