Asbestos being very harmful to health and potentially causing fatal illnesses is already a well-established fact, but what a lot of people don’t realize is that its effects extend even to the environment. When asbestos fibers are released into the air, they can be inhaled into the lungs of both humans and animals. It’s why asbestos handling should only be done by trained professionals. 

Here are 3 reasons why we should not attempt to dispose of asbestos ourselves:

Personal Health and Safety
Unless you are an asbestos expert, or have received training on how to deal with this harmful substance, then you would most likely not have the proper resources or know-how to handle an asbestos risk situation correctly. While asbestos, in general, does not pose any immediate threat to one’s health when left alone, it can be easily breathed in once disturbed. Asbestos fibers are so tiny, they can only be viewed with a special microscope. Once these micro fibers find their way into your respiratory system, they could lodge into the tissues of your lungs, and cause you to develop mesothelioma or asbestosis, which can both be fatal. Protect your health and stay safe - leave the asbestos to the professionals.

Protection of Those Around You
Once asbestos fibers are released into the air, it puts not only yourself, but also those around you in danger. To avoid causing unnecessary problems to the people around you, avoid dealing with asbestos problems yourself. Instead, leave it to trained personnel to deal with. If the asbestos risk occurs at home, call in a professional. You wouldn’t want to place your family or neighbors in a compromising position, now, would you?

Environmental Protection
Asbestos fibers travel though air, and they are not absorbed into the soil when landing on soil surface. This means that they can just as easily be introduced back into the air, where they can be inhaled by humans and animals, putting populations at risk. When animal populations become threatened, it puts a burden on our ecological balance. By making sure that asbestos is handled properly and correctly disposed, it is not only human health that is being kept safe, but also the environment and the other flora and fauna that thrive in it.

Avoid putting yourself and the environment at risk by getting a professional to do the removal and disposal for you. Ensure that you get a professional who knows what he is doing and is legitimately trained to deal with asbestos. Having hazwoper certification by training centers like The Asbestos Institute may mean that your hired professional has had experience dealing with hazardous waste as well, which is a definite plus.