It may be rare that a homeowner finds asbestos on or in the soil of their property, but remember that asbestos is a naturally occurring substance, so it does happen. Your first thought if this happens to you may be about the amount of danger this means for you and your family. Note a few factors about asbestos itself and any danger it may cause if it's found on and in your property's soil, so you know how to best address this situation.

1. Why is asbestos in soil dangerous?

Asbestos is dangerous to your health when you breathe in the fibres. This is one reason to carefully consider the danger when you find it in your property's soil in particular; when asbestos is found in your home, such as when used for an insulating material, you may think you're in greater danger, since it's in such close proximity to you and your family. However, you can often cover and contain that area of your home with plastic sheeting or drywall and not remove the asbestos. As long as it stays inside that containment, you're safe. While this works inside a home, you can't just cover over your property with plastic sheeting! This means that asbestos in soil can often be a greater danger than asbestos in your home and should not be overlooked or ignored simply because it's outside.

2. What are the added risk factors?

While any asbestos in soil can be a danger, there are some added risk factors that make it even more dangerous for you and your family. If you live near a freeway or busy road, the vibrations from traffic may not seem very noticeable to you, but they can easily shake up the ground and the asbestos and cause it to become airborne. Working outside can mean tracking in dust and dirt that could be bringing in asbestos fibres; even if you don't garden or farm or do anything else that upsets the soil, just having it on your shoes and then bringing that into your home can mean transferring those fibres indoors, where you could easily breathe them in. The same is true of pets and children who may be outside and who may bring in contaminated soil.

3. Can the soil just be bagged up and tossed away?

You typically can't just bring the soil to a landfill, even if it's in bags. It can easily get loose and airborne and become a danger to others. A licensed asbestos contractor will ensure it's properly disposed of so it's always contained or recycled and doesn't become a danger to anyone.

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