Guest guest Posted June 6, 2004 Report Share Posted June 6, 2004 Dear Jerrod, You seem to be well versed and knowledgeable in regard to asbestos. I have a question as it relates to a property that I just purchased which has some remaining asbestos pipes in the basement. The home was built in 1895 and is an incredible historic mansion in the North End of Woonsocket, Rhode Island. The last owner (who owned it for 25 years) removed the lead paint from 3/4 of the home and gave way to the amazing woodwork and craftsmanship of the home with 5 working fireplaces. The home inspection came back amazingly clean but did point out a few asbestos covered pipes in the basement. I ask you, in your expert opinion, what is the safest, easiest and least expensive way to cover or remove the asbestos and how do I tell the difference between the different types of asbestos? Many thanks Sharon Cross School Health and Safety Association In a message dated 6/6/2004 5:15:16 AM Eastern Daylight Time, iequality writes: Message: 2 Date: Sat, 5 Jun 2004 04:12:51 -0700 (PDT) Subject: RE: asbestosisMark Doughty writes:My experience has been that, If there is asbestos present, it is usuallytremolite or anthophyllite. Not many analysts have experience withthese minerals since they are not the run of the mill – if you will -asbestos types (chrysotile or amosite). What a lot of people don't realize is that Libby vermiculite also may contain winchite and richterite, two minerals that are asbestos in everything but name (not being included in the EPA's original listing of regulated minerals). We always ask the lab to include them in the total count. It's also important not to rely on a single sample. We always submit at least three.The general advice to those who have vermiculite in an unused attic is to leave it alone. All well and good, but that still leaves open the question whether reversal of the normal stack effect can cause significant numbers of fibers to transported downward into the breathing space. Walls also interesting; opening and closing a door causes a bellows effect that in theory can pull fibers through ungasketed electrical outlets. More on all these aspects at the vermiculite page on our website ( http://tinyurl.com/3fj6x ).Jerrod MasonProtech Environmental ServicesAnn Arbor, MIwww.protechenvironmental.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 6, 2004 Report Share Posted June 6, 2004 Dear Jerrod, You seem to be well versed and knowledgeable in regard to asbestos. I have a question as it relates to a property that I just purchased which has some remaining asbestos pipes in the basement. The home was built in 1895 and is an incredible historic mansion in the North End of Woonsocket, Rhode Island. The last owner (who owned it for 25 years) removed the lead paint from 3/4 of the home and gave way to the amazing woodwork and craftsmanship of the home with 5 working fireplaces. The home inspection came back amazingly clean but did point out a few asbestos covered pipes in the basement. I ask you, in your expert opinion, what is the safest, easiest and least expensive way to cover or remove the asbestos and how do I tell the difference between the different types of asbestos? Many thanks Sharon Cross School Health and Safety Association In a message dated 6/6/2004 5:15:16 AM Eastern Daylight Time, iequality writes: Message: 2 Date: Sat, 5 Jun 2004 04:12:51 -0700 (PDT) Subject: RE: asbestosisMark Doughty writes:My experience has been that, If there is asbestos present, it is usuallytremolite or anthophyllite. Not many analysts have experience withthese minerals since they are not the run of the mill – if you will -asbestos types (chrysotile or amosite). What a lot of people don't realize is that Libby vermiculite also may contain winchite and richterite, two minerals that are asbestos in everything but name (not being included in the EPA's original listing of regulated minerals). We always ask the lab to include them in the total count. It's also important not to rely on a single sample. We always submit at least three.The general advice to those who have vermiculite in an unused attic is to leave it alone. All well and good, but that still leaves open the question whether reversal of the normal stack effect can cause significant numbers of fibers to transported downward into the breathing space. Walls also interesting; opening and closing a door causes a bellows effect that in theory can pull fibers through ungasketed electrical outlets. More on all these aspects at the vermiculite page on our website ( http://tinyurl.com/3fj6x ).Jerrod MasonProtech Environmental ServicesAnn Arbor, MIwww.protechenvironmental.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 7, 2004 Report Share Posted June 7, 2004 Sharon, The only way to determine the actual type of asbestos is to have it analyzed. Some professionals may be able to give you a best guess but it may not be 100% accurate. In any case, it probably does not matter what type is. You should have it removed or encapsulated. Another option may be to leave it alone if you can determine that there is little likelihood for exposure. Check the RI State laws regarding inspection and remediation of asbestos. I'm not much help here but I wanted to ensure that you did not tackle this by yourself. Mike Lombardi, CIH | Industrial Hygienist | Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials 455 Forest Street | Marlborough, MA | 01752 Office: | Nextel: mlombardi@... | http://electronicmaterials.rohmhaas.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.