Hazardous Materials and Waste Management Division
Household Asbestos-Containing
Wastes
Removal
Asbestos is the name given to a group of naturally occurring fibrous
minerals. Because asbestos fibers are very stable and
resistant to both heat and chemicals, they are added to many
products to add strength, durability and fire resistance. Asbestos has not been
totally banned from being added to building products and may be
found in homes of any age, including new construction.
Products that may contain asbestos include floor tile and mastics
(glue), roofing shingles, wall and ceiling textures, linoleum,
drywall and drywall joint compound, vermiculite insulation, cement
board shingles and siding, and pipe, duct and boiler insulation.
Asbestos may be either friable or nonfriable. Friable asbestos
can be crumbled to a powder by hand when dry and is the most
dangerous form. Nonfriable asbestos cannot easily be
pulverized to a powder, but nonfriable asbestos-containing products
can be damaged to the extent that it becomes friable during handling
or demolition activities. Elevated concentrations of airborne
asbestos can occur after cutting, breaking or sanding
asbestos-containing materials.
The most important thing in removing, handling, transporting, and
disposing of asbestos is to do so in a manner that prevents airborne
release of asbestos fibers. Inhalation of asbestos fibers may
cause cancer. Even though homeowners may remove asbestos themselves in
their primary residence without obtaining a permit from the
Air
Pollution Control Division , they should contact that division
for guidance on health and safety precautions before beginning work.
If homeowners choose not to do the removal themselves, they must
hire a contractor certified by the Air Pollution Control Division to
do the work.
Disposal
Homeowners and/or their certified asbestos contractors must dispose
of waste asbestos materials properly. Disposal
requirements for commercial contractors also apply to homeowners,
whether they do the work themselves or have a contractor do it.
Landfill operators are required to handle asbestos wastes
separately from other wastes, so it is important to contact them
prior to disposal.
Non-friable asbestos may be
accepted by any landfill as long as the landfill has included it
in their approved waste acceptance plan. Contact the landfill operator for approval
prior to transporting the waste for disposal.
There are no state regulations
regarding the packaging of nonfriable asbestos for disposal,
though local landfills may have their own requirements.
Friable asbestos waste and nonfriable asbestos waste damaged to the
point of being friable must be
properly packaged before being transported to the landfill. It must
be tightly sealed in at least two 6-mil, leak-tight polyethylene
bags or in a wrapping or other container deemed equivalent by the
Hazardous Materials and Waste Management Division. The
outermost layer of the packaging must be labeled with a waste
shipment manifest label that gives the name and address of the
generator of the waste, and either of the following statements in
letters at least 0.5 inches tall:
CAUTION
Contains Asbestos
Avoid Opening Or Breaking
Container
Breathing Asbestos Is Hazardous
To Your Health
or
DANGER
Contains Asbestos Fibers
Avoid Creating Dust
Cancer and Lung Disease Hazard
Friable asbestos
and nonfriable asbestos damaged to the point of being friable may
be disposed of only in landfills expressly authorized to
accept these wastes. Currently, there are seven approved
landfills in Colorado:
Denver-Arapahoe Disposal Site, Aurora
(303-690-4303)
Colorado Springs Landfill, Colorado Springs (719-683-2600)
Conservation
Services Inc. Landfill, Bennett (303-662-4089)
Milner Landfill, Milner (970-875-0355)
Orchard Mesa Landfill, Grand Junction (970-241-6846)
(accepted from Mesa County only)
Southside Landfill, Pueblo (719-948-2100)
Tower Landfill, Commerce City
(303-371-5115)
Asbestos
Waste Disposal Compliance Bulletin
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