Throw Away Asbestos Floor Tile

Pump sprayer filled with water.

Throw away asbestos floor tile. Throw away or wash the clothes you were wearing immediately. Instead use soap and water or an organic solvent like lacquer thinner to dissolve the adhesive. Workers should wear disposable coveralls or clothing that they plan to throw away when the work is finished. The danger is in the hazardous dust that becomes airborne.

Asbestos floor tiles were manufactured in three sizes. Asbestos is no longer mined and its use has been prohibited in many products. 9 x9 12 x12 and 18 x18. Because of their strength and fire resistance these minerals were mined throughout the 20th century and their fibers incorporated into many products especially building materials such as floor tile roofing insulation acoustic materials wallboard and fireproofing.

For this reason you should not grind or sand away the adhesive. Intact asbestos tiles are not a major risk and can in fact be left in place and covered with other materials such as carpet vinyl linoleum or concrete. The adhesive that binds the tile to the floor may also contain asbestos. Keeping asbestos materials wet helps prevent dust from getting into the air.

However as a favor to future owners of your house make some note of the fact that asbestos tiles are under the new flooring. Examine the condition of the tiles. Tiles that are disintegrating should be. Asbestos floor tiles become a problem when they are damaged or broken during removal and become fibrous.