It is not just the infrastructure of a building that can become contaminated with asbestos fibres.
Asbestos in soil has not received as much public attention as contamination of homes and workplaces, but it is just as serious an issue and is quickly becoming Australia’s greatest asbestos-related challenge.
If you suspect asbestos contamination, you can contact a firm, such as Asbestos Removals Australia, to arrange an inspection.
An inspection will consist of a Preliminary Site Investigation or PSI, which involves an investigation of site records and a walk over to search for telltale signs of contamination. Depending on what kind of evidence surfaces from the PSI, a Detailed Site investigation or DSI may need to be arranged.
The PSI is incredibly important as this will determine how the site is to be managed ongoing. The primary goal will be to ascertain not just the location of the contamination but the extent and the total size of the affected area.
If you have discovered asbestos in your soil, then soil remediation may be the answer for you. Identifying asbestos in soil can be difficult as you must determine the levels in the soil and also figure out which type of asbestos you are dealing with.
In most cases, asbestos soil remediation involves excavation for the soil to be handled off-site. Fibrous asbestos presents a far greater challenge and occurs when asbestos products are damaged or deteriorate over time. The free fibres are significantly smaller than are found in asbestos-containing materials which are more likely to appear as broken pieces and fragments.
Although soil remediation commonly occurs off-site, there are a couple of methods which are as follows:
- Management In Situ
This involves the affected area of the site being cordoned off and covered to prevent the spread of airborne fibres. This typically occurs if the asbestos is buried relatively deeply and the contamination covers a large area.
- Treatment On-Site
This method involves the soil being treated or in some way manipulated while still on-site. Methods can include tilling, hand-picking, and burial on-site.
The method of soil remediation used will depend on the results of prior site investigations and the extent of the asbestos contamination.
Contact Asbestos Removals Australia to discuss soil remediation in your area.