Planning a home renovation?

coupleRenoDid you know that up until 1990, more than 3,000 products containing asbestos and other hazardous materials were used in house construction?

Before beginning renovations consider having a Hazardous Materials Survey done to identify potential hazardous materials such as asbestos, lead paint, mold, and mercury before starting any work.

Asbestos is a mineral fibre that is resistant to fire, heat and electricity. For this reason, asbestos was used widely when building homes. If left undisturbed, there is little risk, however if you are planning renovations you may disturb materials containing asbestos, which may lead to health issues.

Facilities accepting renovation waste may require approvals and documentation before accepting materials that commonly contain asbestos. Look into requirements before starting your renovations to make sure you understand any requirements.

Refer to the WorkSafeBC Bulk Material Sample Collection Guide for the number of samples required.

Common materials that contain asbestos

The following materials may contain asbestos if produced before 1990 and may require documentation or approvals before disposal.

  • Drywall with joint compound/mud
  • Stucco
  • Plaster and textured surface coats
  • Vinyl floor tiles
  • Paper-backed vinyl/linoleum/sheet flooring
  • Mastics (applied adhesives)
  • Grout, mortar, levelling compound
  • Paper-backed fiberglass/rock wool insulation
  • Vermiculite, blown-in/loose insulation
  • Ceiling tiles
  • Ducting insulation, duct wrap, ductwork
  • Octagonal/hexagonal multi-layered roofing shingles, roofing felt
  • Deck under-sheeting
  • Furnace or boiler materials
  • Artificial fireplaces and kilns
  • Cement board, transite board, fibreboard
  • Fire-proof board

A full list of materials that may potentially contain asbestos is available on the WorkSafeBC  website.

Post-1990 building materials

Building materials installed after 1990 that are being removed as part of a renovation do not usually require testing if the date of this material can be confirmed. Keep this information handy in case you are required to show before disposal.

Hiring qualified HazMat professionals

Plan ahead to protect yourself. Homeowners and contractors need to take precautions when disturbing or handling asbestos containing materials (ACM). To protect you and your family, hire a qualified professional to identify asbestos and other hazardous materials before you renovate. Hazardous materials are identified through a Hazardous Materials Survey (HazMat Survey). Here is a list of local companies that can assist with surveys, testing and safe removal:

Bringing renovation waste to Hartland?

Before you load up the truck learn about:

  • Hartland Landfill disposal bans, reuse/recycling options and special handling requirements. Common materials banned from disposal include drywall and concrete. Common recyclables include thermostats and metal ducting.
  • Asbestos disposal: Hartland accepts properly packaged ACM for disposal (including drywall with asbestos-containing mud). Appointments are required. Learn more about the disposal of asbestos here.
  • Bringing clean (non-asbestos containing) renovation waste? If your materials are included in the common asbestos material list but your tests came back negative, you still require a pre-approval to bring them to Hartland. You will need to submit your HazMat survey or lap results with you application and receive a pre-approval number before bringing materials to Hartland. Visit the Hartland Landfill Reno & Demo Waste page for more information.
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