Asbestos In Concrete Pipes

When asbestos was king of construction materials, you might find it in any one of more than 3,000 products from floor to ceiling. Most of the time, asbestos was mixed with other materials to create ACM (asbestos containing materials).

Water Systems
Asbestos and ACM, however, weren’t only used in residential and commercial construction. It was also used in public waterworks. Asbestos was mixed with concrete to make durable pipes. Since the mineral is water resistant as well as fire resistant, it seemed like a great idea…at the time.

Since then, as the dangers of asbestos have been revealed, the focus has been on asbestos dust which can be inhaled. It is true that most cases of disease due to asbestos exposure involve mesothelioma or other lung cancers.

However, there is also a danger from asbestos in the water.

• Even if asbestos is nearly indestructible – concrete is not.
• Over time, if the concrete is damaged or deteriorates, it can release bit of asbestos into the water.
• The EPA in the US stipulates the safe level of asbestos in water to be 7 million fibers per liter (MFL) or lower.
• If you consume water with more than the recommended level, over time, it increases your risk of peritoneal mesothelioma, which is a stomach cancer. It may also involve the esophagus or other parts of the digestive system.

The municipality of Huntington Beach, CA is looking at how to reduce the risk by replacing the asbestos containing concrete water pipes in specific parts of town. The community district recently approved a $2.3 million bid to replace pipes in some neighbourhoods that were built in the 1950s and 1960s.

Asbestos in Your Home
Just as the concrete in water pipes can deteriorate over time, releasing asbestos into the water, other ACM can release asbestos dust into the air. If your home was built before the mid-1980s, then it probably contains asbestos in one form or another. It may be mixed with a variety of materials and show up literally from floor to ceiling, attic, and roof.

• Floor and ceiling tiles;
• Roofing materials;
• Wall panels;
• Textured paints;
• Textured ceilings;
• Pipe insulation;
• Sealant around doors and windows;
• Attic insulation;
• And much more.

You can’t identify ACM just by looking at them. There’s only one way to be sure you’re protecting your health and that of your family: asbestos removal.

Let Us Help
Let us help. If you have asbestos anywhere in your home, let us help with the next step: asbestos removal. Our experienced and certified asbestos removal and asbestos remediation technicians can help keep you and your family safe. In the Toronto area call Environmental at (416) 818-9414. Contact us for a quote today.

Featured in Mike Holmes’ magazine, HGTV’s Income Properties, W Network’s Love It Or List It and chosen by Homestars.com as “Best Toronto Asbestos Removal Company” based on customer ratings and reviews, GreenStream Environmental Services are fully-certified, trusted and insured professionals in the removal and disposal of commercial, industrial, institutional and residential asbestos, vermiculite and mould (hazardous and non-hazardous). Providing emergency service 24/7/365 for all of Toronto and the GTA (North York, Mississauga, Markham, Brampton, Scarborough, Ajax, Oshawa, and beyond) GreenStream has over 40 combined years of experience serving clients such as the City of Toronto, the Toronto District School Board and many more. For a free estimate in Toronto, the GTA and Southern Ontario, call today at 416-818-9414. You’ll be glad you did.