Hey guys, I'm the Pongo referenced by Neal in the original post.
A couple things I'd like to add:
- My ID's on asbestos are rules of thumb only. It's just a way to make a quick judgement call. Like IDChris mentioned, there are plenty of exceptions. In the professional world, my firm uses these rules during our initial walkthroughs to get a feel for the scope of work on a project. Legally, if we suspect asbestos in the building, we have to test everything, including items like the solid 2x4 ceiling tiles, etc.
- My comment on lead paint was coming from the perspective of an architect. If we are doing work in the space, it has got to be remediated. That being said, paint chips on the ground are probably harmful to your health if you're kicking it around and breathing it in. Yeah don't eat the paint haha.
- Like blackhawk was suggesting, asbestos is really no problem if it's sealed. That's kind of a loose term in an abandoned building, however since the place is typically falling apart. Since it takes decades for ill effects to really creep in, it's really hard to monitor your asbestos intake. Which brings me to my final point...
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Wear a respirator. Period. A gentleman came to my work a couple weeks ago to talk about indoor air quality in the built environment. Air Quality Sciences recently conducted a study of over 300 US Schools and found that the average VOC level was taken at 4600 µg/m³, which is
23x higher than the acceptable level for habitation. If the buildings that we use on a daily basis are sick, how do you think that abandoned buildings stack up?
Next time you're in a dark abandoned room, focus your flashlight beam. See all those particles floating around? Some of it is probably fine, but what do you think the chances are that some of it is asbestos, mold, carcinogens, or some other harmful particulate? Limited exposure in one thing, but for those of us who get out and explore more than a couple times a year, the risk is worth thinking about.
http://www.amazon....eywords=respirator Is your health worth $25 and a mild inconvenience? This particular product even comes with P100 filters, which filter out 99.97% of particulates, including asbestos. If anyone has more info on filters, please correct me if I'm wrong or chime in with more info.
Happy and safe exploring, guys.