With all the recent news about how the U.S. Geological Survey found a bunch of naturally occurring asbestos in El Dorado Hills, California playgrounds (see here: http://www.asbestosnews.com/news/asbestos_dangers.html), I thought I’d post some information about precautions people who live near naturally occurring asbestos deposits can take to minimize their chances of inhaling asbestos. These tips will also help you keep your house free of the regular dust that can trigger allergies.
Here are some helpful tips from the California Air Resource Board:
- Pave unpaved roads, walkways, or driveways that contain ultramafic or serpentine rock – A lot of dust is created and kicked up from unpaved surfaces that get a lot of traffic.
- Cover crushed ultramafic or serpentine rock on your property with soil – This will trap dust and fibers that could potentially disperse into the air.
- Use washable area rugs – Wash them from time to time.
- Dust with a wet rag – Dry dusters will simply scatter the dust into the air
- Have guests and family members remove their shoes before entering your home – Asbestos fiber tracking is one of the major asbestos fiber entry routes.
- Keep doors and windows closed on windy days – Especially when nearby asbestos rocks are disturbed, such as during construction.
- Use a vacuum with a high efficiency particulate air filter (HEPA) – These filters can remove smaller particles from the air that gets exhausted back into the atmosphere. Regular vacuum cleaners may simply pull asbestos particles out of the carpet and put them in the air.
You should also consider having your home tested by a qualified expert if you are concerned about asbestos in your home. Licensed professionals use special equipment specially designed for asbestos removal. They can also check and see if your house builder used asbestos insulation, or any other asbestos building materials.
You can locate an asbestos removal professional near you in the Blue Book of Building and Construction.
The California Air Resources Board has more information about naturally occurring asbestos.
