Asbestos Removal and Green Alternatives – A Must for Property Owners
 
When purchasing, remodeling or foreclosing an older home, there are a variety of things to consider in the real estate industry. homes built before 1980 maintain a strong potential of harboring asbestos. Citizens of Georgia should be aware that exposure to damaged asbestos fibers can produce many health concerns when levels are inhaled over a long period of time.
Used in millions of homes throughout the twentieth century, asbestos materials can be a real problem for homeowners due to causing a variety of lung ailments, such as malignant mesothelioma and peritoneal mesothelioma. Medical research indicates that over 2,000 to 3,000 cases are diagnosed each year in the United States alone. Asbestos manufacturers were aware about the harmful effects of its product and continued manufacturing it anyways.
With a steady increase in public awareness and technology, there is an ever growing list of green insulation alternatives that replace the need for asbestos. The United Nations Environmental Program states that the use of recycled building materials such as cotton fiber insulation can reduce energy use by 25 to 35 percent. The numbers continue to improve as more eco-friendly options become available. These kinds of eco friendly figures have attracted those who were unaware of environmentally sustainable and safe construction practices.
Removal of asbestos in homes, workplaces and public facilities must be performed by a licensed abatement contractor as long as the National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) are not violated. Once the safe removal is complete, green insulation alternative options should be a serious consideration, such as: Cellulose, Cotton Fiber and Lcynene. These asbestos alternatives will not only reduce energy costs, but allow for a clean, healthy home, free of health damaging materials.