Environmental issues and solutions

The number one mistake that is typically made by a building owner is to assume that there is no asbestos because a building is newer than 1980. It is true that asbestos was used a great deal in the 1950’s and later and that use decreased over time. There were several court proceedings held in the 1960’s and 1970’s that examined the risks of hazardous materials in buildings, so asbestos was rarely used in large amounts in homes built after 1980. It is not true that no asbestos was used or that it was even illegal in all cases. Asbestos may be present in some imported building products The second mistake often made is to assume that asbestos was eventually completely banned and that it would not be present in something made in the present-day. Asbestos is not mined in the United States today, but it is still available for import and it is used in some products. Asbestos inspections may not be done if a renovation is a “little job” This issue is quite common and serious — buildi

Q. What is asbestos? A.  Asbestos  is essentially a compound, a material that is made up of a group of minerals. The minerals that form asbestos are made of microscopic particles that can splinter into even small pieces. Q. Why is asbestos harmful when inhaled? A. Asbestos is harmful because when it is inhaled and splinters, it can become stuck in lung tissue. Q. What kind of symptoms does a person experience right after inhaling asbestos fibers? A. Some people don’t show any symptoms immediately, especially since the fibers themselves are so tiny. Over the long term, though, people who breathe in asbestos fibers may show basic respiratory distress, experience trouble breathing, have bleeding in the lungs and more. Q. What does an asbestos inspector look for? A. An  asbestos inspector  takes samples of the materials used in buildings as well as air samples in those buildings. They take care to get samples in safe conditions without disturbing the particles to the degree

The water that comes out of your tap can contain a number of contaminants even when using a filter. Some may be deliberate additions that aren’t always ideal and others may be harmful. Examples include chlorine, lead, mercury, fluoride, nitrite and more. One of the biggest problems with water contaminants is that you take them in slowly. You may not even realize your health is impacted until you have a real problem. The best way to get ahead of this is to have your water tested before you develop an illness that could be connected to drinking water. There are other signs to watch for such as the water color, odor, taste or residue. Contaminants are sometimes additives that are present at levels too high for you. In more dangerous cases, contaminants can come from plumbing materials, water service lines or the water source. Water companies do test water at a system-wide level. They watch for areas of particular concern such as lead or other heavy metals. They also keep watch on ce