Asbestos Bitumen Glue Adhesive Removal Cost Guide for 2024

Why should I remove asbestos bitumen glue & adhesive?

Asbestos bitumen glue & adhesive can be found in a variety of places within and to the external of buildings. We are going to concentrate on the most common place that you will find asbestos bitumen glue & adhesive. On the floors of buildings adhering floor tiles and other coverings to the floor. Asbestos bitumen glue & adhesive was used to secure asbestos tiles and other coverings to floors to millions of buildings.

This asbestos bitumen glue & adhesive product was an adhesive with added asbestos fibre. The asbestos fibre gave the bitumen glue additional properties such as additional fire and water protection. Not to mention heat and fire resistance. Most vinyl and plastic type floor coverings prior to the year 2000 were fixed in place with this type of asbestos bitumen glue. It was even used for normal non asbestos carpet tiles and other non-asbestos floor coverings.

From around the 1930s through to the year 2000 asbestos glue & adhesive was the standard option for most floor coverings. As well as being a great product it was inexpensive and had an abundant supply. This made it very popular.

The downside was that this flooring product contained asbestos. A product that if disturbed and inhaled can cause fatal disease.

If your asbestos floors are being replaced or repaired, you could be disturbing a potentially deadly material. Although asbestos bitumen adhesive can be left in place and covered over, many people are taking the option to have it fully removed. This is so they do not have a problem in the future and do not need to manage any risk for years to come.

It is a matter of choice. If you are having flooring removed. Asbestos or non-asbestos. If there is asbestos bitumen adhesive below it, you must decide how you want to deal with the asbestos. If managed correctly and appropriate precautions taken, then it can remain in situ and be covered over. If you do not want that long term problem and want the peace of mind knowing it is no longer there, then removal of this asbestos product may be your best option.

How much does asbestos bitumen & glue removal cost & how is it done?

The price, how much asbestos bitumen glue and adhesive will cost to remove, will mainly depend on the size of the area being removed. Your first job is to measure the size of the area you need removing.  Then you need to check what surface your asbestos bitumen is on. This can affect the price of removal. In addition, if your asbestos bitumen is below another surface or floor covering you will need to speak to a member of the team as the price for removal will be very specific to your project. If it is below floor tiles then you can work out the total cost be looking at our asbestos floor tile removal cost guide in addition to this guide. https://www.oracleasbestos.com/blog/asbestos-floor-tile-removal-cost/

If the asbestos bitumen is on a good concrete base, then the removal is straight forward. If, however the asbestos adhesive is onto a screed surface then it can be more challenging to remove. This is due to the cement screed breaking away and creating more work, more time, and more waste.

Asbestos bitumen glue and adhesive by its very nature is very difficult to removes. It is a dried stuck on adhesive. If you are to have it fully removed there are only three options.

Option 1: Chemical removal of asbestos bitumen glue

This is a process which is used for smaller areas and hard to reach areas where machine grinding is not possible. It is undertaken by applying a chemical which dissolves the asbestos bitumen allowing it to be removed by scraping and hand tools.

Option 2: Machine grinding removal of asbestos bitumen glue

Machine grinding is the most common form of asbestos bitumen removal. Floor grinding machinery is used to grind away the surface of the floor which in turn removes the asbestos bitumen. A good process for larger areas and thick concentrations of asbestos adhesive.

Option 3: Mechanical removal of the floor substrate to remove asbestos bitumen glue

This option is used where the asbestos bitumen is on top of a cement screed that if disturbed will breakaway. This is undertaken by using appropriate screed lifting machines and tools.

• It is very common to find multiple layers of asbestos floor tiles as they may have been added over time. Its easier to lay asbestos floor tiles onto another layer of asbestos floor tiles than to remove the old ones first. In some instances, we have seen up to six layers of asbestos floor tiles.

The following are standard square metre costs for safe removal and disposal of asbestos bitumen glue and adhesive. There may be a minimum call out charge so you should check by speaking to a member of the team. It is useful to remember that the larger the area the lower the price per square metre.

These are minimum costs based on standard asbestos bitumen removal with no asbestos floor tiles or other coverings on top of the adhesive. These would be additional cost.

Do I need an asbestos survey?

Asbestos bitumen is difficult to visually identify due to the asbestos fibre being well hidden within the glue compound.

Therefore, it is essential that as a minimum the suspected asbestos bitumen is sampled for identification. This way you will know exactly what you are dealing with and what you need to have removed.

Specific sampling is usually enough to be able to identify basic requirements when it comes to the safe removal of asbestos bitumen glue. However, if it is a larger building or part of a larger project then an asbestos survey may be needed. If you are not sure speak to a member of our team who will be happy to advise you.

What does an asbestos floor tile removal include?

You should check to ensure that the company you are using is an asbestos professional. The easiest way to be sure is to only use an HSE licensed asbestos removal company. If you do this then the asbestos floor tile removal will include:

• A trained asbestos team with the right protection
• Covering of any areas that need protecting
• Barriers to keep people out of the work area
• Usage of sprayers with special liquid to control asbestos dust
• Usage of asbestos “H” type vacuum cleaners to control asbestos dust
• Careful removal of the asbestos bitumen as the option chosen
• Appropriate storage and transport of asbestos waste
• A final detailed clean of the work area
• On completion an asbestos waste certificate

There is much more to the asbestos bitumen removal than those listed. Therefore asbestos glue and adhesive removal should be carried out by professionals.

Can I remove the asbestos floor tiles myself?

Asbestos is hazardous and only those with the correct training and safety equipment should attempt to remove it.

It is not recommended that you try and remove asbestos bitumen yourself. You will not have the training or the safety equipment. You could potentially put yourself and others at risk. That could be a legal concern. If you did decide to do it yourself, if you were for instance fully trained and had the correct equipment, you would still have to legally dispose of the asbestos waste.

Asbestos waste disposal is very expensive. Just the waste from the removal of your asbestos is a big part of any professional’s cost. it would be more cost effective to let a professional who has the correct equipment for the work to do it. It is safer and easier to leave it to the professionals.