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Dealing with asbestos in old vinyl tile

House Doctor | Gary Dymski

July 28, 2005

In your July 7 column you responded to a question about removing vinyl floor tiles. I am surprised you did not bring up the potential safety and health issues from vinyl asbestos tile (VAT). New York City and New York State asbestos regulations do not apply to homeowners who do their own abatement, but at least one of the removal methods you suggested can put asbestos fibers into the air. Homeowners should be aware of the risks of inhaling this fibrous carcinogen.

-- Sylvia Pryce, director, New York City office of Occupational Safety and Health

My advice was for removal of newer tiles that very likely do not contain asbestos, but you are right. I should have mentioned that some vinyl tiles could contain asbestos and removal should be done carefully. Vinyl asbestos tile was a common residential flooring choice until 1973, when it was discontinued. However, U.S. suppliers had until 1978 to sell existing stock. From what I understand, vinyl asbestos tile is considered "nonfriable." A friable product releases harmful fibers into the air when crushed or damaged.

To be safe, wet the material first to keep fibers from becoming airborne; saturate tiles with water using a pump sprayer. Wear respirators, disposable coveralls and shoe coverings, and use plastic sheeting to seal doorways and air-return vents.

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Once saturated, the tiles need about two hours to loosen or pop up. Then they can be removed with a metal scraper or a wide-bladed chisel. Tiles should be tightly sealed in a plastic bag - double bagged - and dropped off at a hazardous waste collection site.

After reading the same column, Joan L. Smith of Levittown said she used dry ice to remove the tiles, which did contain asbestos. She placed the blocks of dry ice in several spots on the floor until the moisture forced the tiles to pop up in one piece.