Planning a renovation project on your home or building? The Thompson-Nicola Regional District has implemented new disposal rules that you need to be aware of. The new rules are in response to Worksafe BC requirements and will help protect workers and the public from the risk of asbestos exposure at landfills and waste transfer sites.
“Due to these new safety requirements, you may be turned away if your load hadn’t been properly bagged or is missing required documentation,” said Jamie Vieira, TNRD manager of environmental services.
“Please go to our website, call us, or talk to your local site attendants for all the information you need to know ahead of time. We will continue to help people properly dispose of waste, but we also need to ensure workers and all members of the public are protected. That is what these new rules aim to do,” Vieira added.
Up until 1990, asbestos was widely used in a variety of construction materials in Canada.
That means that waste from a pre-1990 building that might potentially contain asbestos will now be assumed to contain asbestos if it has not been tested. It will only be accepted at select landfills and eco-depots. It must be double-bagged in six-mil thick bags and sealed shut prior to arriving at the disposal location.
Before starting work on a building constructed before 1990, TNRD recommends having a qualified professional conduct a hazard assessment and test for asbestos.
A waste load from a pre-1990 building will be subject to new requirements if it contains any of the following:
- Gypsum wallboard and mud compound
- Plaster and plasterboard
- Vinyl flooring and levelling compound
- Ceiling tiles
- Cement pipe
- Stucco and cement siding
- Spray applied insulation and attic insulation
Asbestos can cause serious long term health impacts from inhaling asbestos fibres. Renovating older homes and buildings can increase the risk of asbestos exposure. Construction and trade workers involved in renovations and repairs to older buildings, do-it-yourselfers, and landfill workers are at higher risk of asbestos exposure if proper safety measures are not followed.
Asbestos was used in over 3,000 building materials as insulation against heat or noise, for fire protection, and to increase structural strength in materials such as cement and plaster. Asbestos only poses a potential health risk when disturbed and fibres are released in the air. Its use in Canada was phased out by 1990.
For a detailed list of all disposal restrictions and the required declaration forms for disposing of potential asbestos containing materials, visit tnrd.ca/asbestos. Contact the TNRD for more information.