Are you the type of person who likes to do things yourself? When something goes wrong at your property, you might want to be the one to fix it. From plumbing problems to furnace issues, you don’t mind rolling up your sleeves to figure things out.
But some projects are best left to the professionals—not just for your safety, but for the environment, too.
If you’re concerned about hazardous waste at your property, then environmental demolition might be just what you need. We’re going to tell you more about this service:
What Is Environmental Demolition?
When job sites have hazardous materials (such as asbestos, lead paint, or chemical waste), demolition services can be dangerous. It’s important to perform these jobs with caution.
During environmental demolition, contractors aim to encapsulate and safely dispose of any hazardous materials. This protects the nearby residents and landscape.
This process is also known as environmental abatement or remediation. The demolition process follows this standard:
Step 1: Inspection & Identification
First, contractors need to identify what hazards they may encounter. Typically, they will take samples of building materials for testing. They might also require samples of soil, air, and water quality.
Step 2: Demolition
Demolition contractors use various techniques to contain hazardous materials and prevent pollution. They adapt their approach based on which materials are present; for example, asbestos-containing materials are demolished differently than chemical waste.
Step 3: Disposal
An important goal of any demolition project is to minimize environmental impact. Part of the process is ensuring that contaminated materials don’t spread toxins to other areas.
For example, imagine what might happen if a hazardous chemical was disposed of in a regular landfill. It could cause damage that lasts for decades. The fluid could seep into the soil below and contaminate a nearby waterway. This spreads the toxin rather than containing it.
Proper waste disposal is always important, but especially so with environmental abatement projects.
Example Of Environmental Demolition
In the following case, environmental demolition was used to prevent a public safety hazard:
In the early 1970s, the small town of Times Beach in Missouri became the site of a chemical disaster. Roads were sprayed with a mixture of waste oil and dioxin to suppress dust. Shortly after, residents and animals in the town became severely ill. The CDC opened an investigation and found dioxin levels 300 times greater than what was considered safe.
As a result, the entire town was evacuated. Extensive environmental demolition services were required. The contaminated soil was excavated and treated at an incinerator. Entire buildings were demolished and incinerated.
In 1997, the cleanup was completed. Today, Times Beach is a state park and thriving green space. This case shows how environmental demolition can restore areas that are dangerous or uninhabitable.
When Do You Need Environmental Demolition?
Are you considering environmental demolition services? Ask yourself the following questions to determine if this service is required:
- What year was the property built? What safety regulations existed at that time?
- Has an inspector detected the presence of harmful materials at the site? Examples include lead paint, asbestos, and/or chemical waste.
- Do you know of any contamination incidents on the property (or surrounding area) that may cause health hazards?
When it comes to your health, there’s no need to take chances. Our demolition and excavation services put your safety first.
At Bella Contracting, we’ve garnered over 25 years of experience in the demolition industry. We use that knowledge to complete jobs with efficiency and precision.
Interested in learning more about our services? You can find more info here.
