ᐅ Asbestos: Handling, Dust Sampling, Material Testing

Created on: 28 Jun 2019 23:15
M
Manuel24
Good evening,

About three years ago, I removed the carpet with foam backing and the kitchen floor, which was a type of vinyl, in my apartment built in 1982/83. A floating hardwood floor was then installed on top, and the baseboards were taped off.

At the time, I did not consider that the carpet, adhesive, or vinyl might contain asbestos. Now, three years later, I realize that I handled the removal rather carelessly, pulling everything up and scraping it out.

I would like to find out if I released asbestos back then or if asbestos is still coming up from under the new floor into the indoor air.

I still have one piece of carpet remnant with adhesive. However, several different carpets had been installed.

From my research online, I learned that dust sampling (stamping) or material testing can be done. However, I would prefer not to remove the newly installed flooring again. My main concern is whether there is an immediate health risk in the current situation. Therefore, I would appreciate your opinion on how you would proceed to clarify the situation.

Thank you very much.
M
Manuel24
3 Jul 2019 20:11
Thank you for the many responses. Attached is the piece of vinyl flooring I was still able to find. The back is plastic-like, with tiny printed diamonds and squares.

Any assessment?

Close-up of square terracotta tiles with blue grout on a wooden substrate.


Beige canvas on a wooden table with brown stains on the right.


Close-up of the edge of a reddish-brown wooden piece with a white binder edge.
A
aero2016
3 Jul 2019 20:25
How do you come to the idea that asbestos could be present there?

As some have already mentioned: it doesn’t matter now.
The risk lies in the removal of asbestos. Even if there was asbestos there at some point, there is nothing you can do about it now.
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apokolok
3 Jul 2019 21:05
Dangerous remote diagnosis: Vinyl is safe, that’s PVC or some other type of foam plastic.
I also want to emphasize again that by the early 1980s, asbestos was hardly used in flooring materials anymore.
If you want to be absolutely sure, just send a sample to a lab—analysis costs around €70 (about $75).

P.S. Wow, that was an ugly floor.
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Manuel24
3 Jul 2019 21:07
apokolok schrieb:

Dangerous remote diagnosis: vinyl is not harmless, it is PVC or some other type of foamed plastic.
I also maintain that by the early 1980s, asbestos was rarely used in floor coverings.
If you want to be absolutely sure, just send it to a lab for testing; the analysis costs about €70.
P.S. That was an ugly floor.

Haha. Definitely. Ultra ugly, yes, which is why it was removed.
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Manuel24
4 Jul 2019 17:24
When contacting various building biologists and similar experts, I have actually heard very different opinions. Some consider air testing absolutely necessary. There could still be fibers in the air if any were released back then or are still coming up through the new floor coverings. I am now quite uncertain. The cost of an air sample is considerable, especially since each room must be tested individually.

Has anyone already had such testing carried out themselves?
I look forward to hearing your opinions.
Y
ypg
4 Jul 2019 18:40
Manuel24 schrieb:

Some consider an air test absolutely necessary. There could still be fibers in the air if they were released back then or if they continue to rise through the new floor coverings. I am now very uncertain. The cost of an air sample is considerable,

Are the “some” the people who would financially benefit from the test?