In a move the EPA deemed ‘historic,’ the agency has banned chrysotile asbestos, the only form of the cancer-causing mineral that the U.S. still imports and uses

  • Fosheze@lemmy.world
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    9 months ago

    Not really. The correct way to dispose of asbestos is literally to put it in a garbage bag and send it to the dump. As far as a hazardous material it’s only really bad for people. It’s almost entirely chemically inert so it’s actually far less bad for the environment than most of the stuff that winds up in the dump. Even ocasional exposure wont do anything to most people (not that it’s good for you of course). It’s mainly an issue if you work in an industry where you handle it every day.

    I had to do some asbestos remediation in my house a while back (removing plaster filled with it) and I contacted the county about proper disposal. They literally just told me to bag it and huck it in a dumpster.

    • HelixDab2@lemm.ee
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      9 months ago

      From what I’m finding, it has to be double bagged in 6mil bags, sealed, and can only be disposed of in landfills that are certified and approved for asbestos.

      And yeah, I would be utterly unconcerned about asbestos being present in my home, unless I had to do significant renovations that would disturb the asbestos. Unless you work with it regularly, or are doing something that generates asbestos dust, it’s just not a problem. OTOH, it caused lung cancers for thousands of people that were involved in the manufacture and installation of asbestos products.