Asbestos flooring

I’m hoping someone on here has experience with asbestos testing. In the process of replacing my kitchen floor, I found 9x9” tiles under the 1/4” underpayment (some of which needs replaced). Since the house was built in the 50s, I thought it might contain asbestos.  So I collected a sample of the tile and mastic and sent it to Schneider labs for testing. They are listed as an  accredited lab using EPA method 600/R-93/116 & 600/M4-82-020. I thought, great when the the results for both the tile and mastic came back with “no asbestos detected”. Then I read this:

Reporting Limit: 1%  PLM analysis is based on Visual Estimation and NESHAP recommends that any asbestos content less than 10 percent be verified by PLM Point Count or TEM Analysis.  The EPA recommends that any vermiculite should be treated as Asbestos Containing Material (ACM). This report must not be reproduced except in full with the approval of the laboratory. The test results reported relate only to the samples submitted.

Should I be concerned? Am I safe to remove this myself based on these results?

Based on my own reading done when I had to deal with my basement flooring, you should just assume it contains asbestos and act accordingly.  For me that meant wearing a resporator and thouroughly wetting it down when I was removing the tiles. The general sense I got was that these tiles are not super toxic as long as you aren't doing something that turns them into powder/dust.  I have not died of cancer yet, but check back in a couple decades I guess. 

I think you’ll be fine. Even if it was asbestos containing flooring that stuff is not very friable so doesn’t get airborne easily. You don’t even need to treat it as hazardous waste - just double bag it and put it with construction waste. Combine that with the “asbestos free” result in your sample and you’re safe. If you’re still nervous you could test another sample or you could use protocol for removal like they provide here:

http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/asbestos/floortile/resft.html

9x9 tile almost certainly does contain asbestos.  That's the bad news.

The good news is that it's really not friable (dust-making) asbestos.  Unless you go out of your way to pulverize it, it's pretty safe to handle.

Disclaimer:  I am an architect with renovation experience, NOT an environmental scientist.

Personally, if it was me in my house, I would get some good breathers - something good enough to paint a car in, not the cheapo white mouth masks.  Poly and tape off all the doors and openings that lead to the rest of your house.  Get a tire cooler / herbicide pump sprayer and fill it with plain water.  Use a square nose shovel to carefully remove the tiles, minimizing how much you break them up.  Spray the water around your work area regularly to keep the dust down.  Bag the tiles in contractor-grade trash bags and tape them shut, then dispose of them anywhere that will take construction refuse.

Leave the mastic in place and put new underlayment right over it.

In reply to Duke :

Actually, I was planning on putting vinyl plank flooring over the mastic to lessen the difference between flooring of adjacent rooms. 

Amazing. 

Silica is next. Watch out for beach sand. 

In reply to SVreX :

I was hoping you’d chime in. I’m taking that to mean I’m over thinking this.

In reply to Duke :

That's pretty much the exact method I've used. Ain't dead yet. 

Disclaimer: I'm not even an architect, I just helped demo a kitchen once. 

SVreX said:

Amazing. 

Silica is next. Watch out for beach sand. 

It's deja vu all over again

In reply to rustybugkiller :

I can’t say that. I work in a cancer treatment center. 

I think you are reacting exactly the way you’ve been trained to react.

I have handled the stuff for over 40 years, often without any protection whatsoever. I do not have cancer. (But I am not stupid in how I handle it). YMMV. 

I just think it’s sad that we have taken legit concerns for industrial manufacturing (yes, I grew up near Johns-Manville) and applied them in a manner that makes the general public afraid to live in their houses. 

OSHA, the EPA, and the Federal government have conspired to make a profitable fee-based industry based on fears they have perpetuated. 

And when they ran out of traction with asbestos, they adopted new standards for silica (One of the most abundant minerals on the planet).

It makes me angry that my government appears to be in the business of making people afraid  

Rant off. 

No, you are not doing anything wrong.  You have concerns, and are simply using due diligence.  I respect that.

If it was my house, I’d do what Duke recommended. Hope that is helpful. 

rustybugkiller said:

In reply to Duke :

Actually, I was planning on putting vinyl plank flooring over the mastic to lessen the difference between flooring of adjacent rooms. 

If you can get the surface smooth enough, that should be fine.  If the LVP is thin enough, it may telegraph irregularities through the finished surface.  There are heavy vinyl planks with a cusion back that are loose laid, and they stay down amazingly well if you fit them nicely.  The cusion back makes them tolerant of imperfect surfaces - we use them a lot in school renovations over existing concrete slabs.

In reply to SVreX :

If I had three wishes it'd be DDT Asbestos and something else being regarded as beneficial once again. 

In reply to SVreX :

Not to be too argumentative...

Just because something is prevalent doesn't mean it is okay to inhale.

Dihydrogen oxide is deadly when inhaled.

I do agree that things are blown WAY out of proportion when doing so can benefit the government or any other large business.

In reply to Duke :

 No cushion back but 5/16” thick.

Schneider labs is a good lab.  If they say "no asbestos detected, I would be fine with it.  If you want to spend more money, have it analyzed by TEM instead of PLM.  Cost $60-100 per sample.    SC requires one of three floor tile and mastic samples be analyzed by TEM to prove its not asbestos containing.   I used to collect air samples while floor tile abatement twas on-going.,  We never had a fiber count above the background readings and that was often pounding the hell out of it with a  hammer. 

While it is correct, most 9" floor is ACM, I have on occasion had some be non-asbestos.     

If this was my house I would proceed. 

In reply to SVreX :

I understand. Yes very helpful but I was curious about information on  testing methods. Perhaps I wasted my money/time having the test completed or I chose the wrong way to test. 

In reply to spitfirebill :

Good to hear.

In reply to wvumtnbkr :

I’m pretty sure I didn’t suggest it was ok to inhale. 

Dihydrogen Oxide inhalation can generally be avoided by the frequent and proper use of swimmies. 

I removed tiles once but I didn't inhale

If you dont pulverize and snort lines of it youll be fine. 

In reply to Antihero :

I knew I was doing it wrong. Shoot. 

volvoclearinghouse said:

There is an old vacant theater in Spartanburg that still has the asbestos curtain in place,  It proudly shows it just like in the ad above.  

I've got all sorts of Asbestos abatement training, and I've personally abated my own kitchen floor that had two layers of ACM positive vinyl material.

Your test came back negative, so there's no ACM to worry about. That said, the dust of all the E36 M3 associated with flooring is gross and you should wear a respirator anyway. PPE is there to protect you and just like SVreX says, it's dumb to be living in fear from ever-changing government regulations. Wear a respirator, do the work.

You may want to see if the adhesive has asbestos in it.  I have run in ot that bit of fun a couple of times.