Demolish it in sections and try to limit the creation of dust. Waste is processed in the same way as if it did not contain lead, in an inert waste landfill (décharge matériaux inertes—DCMI).
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ALL THE QUESTIONS
How can a wall with lead paint be demolished?
How can paint containing PCB be removed?
Under confinement, in a similar manner to asbestos but with additional precautions. Paints must absolutely not be heated. As PCB can be released in a gaseous form, additional filtration with activated carbon must be used.
How can you decontaminate an apartment that has been contaminated by lead?
Decontamination is performed by a specialist company. The company will use a high-efficiency vacuum on smoother surfaces, then go over them with a damp cloth. Rough surfaces (carpets, curtains, etc.) are disposed of. When decontamination is complete, an air measurement is taken to ensure that the operation has been performed correctly.
How is asbestos detected?
Only by laboratory analysis. A simple visual inspection can by no means make it possible to conclude on the presence of asbestos. The samples are initially purified by calcination and acidification, then observed under a polarising or electronic scanning microscope.
How is lead in paintwork identified?
A radioactive source detector must be used, which makes it possible to detect the presence of lead even in coats of paint that have been covered over. There are companies with this sort of appliance in Geneva.
How long does lead stay in your body?
Lead has a half-life of 30 days in the blood, after which it migrates to the bones and therefore remains in the body. Its short half-life in the blood prevents detection of lead contamination through blood tests, unless contamination is very recent.
How much lead paint is there in constructions in Geneva?
In all of the constructed property in Geneva, we estimate that half of all housing built before 2006 contains at least one lead-based paint.
Is it not dangerous to cover materials containing asbestos?
No, if they are correctly covered and made totally inaccessible. This does not however solve the problem and it complicates future diagnoses.
Is lead contamination after sanding long-lasting?
Yes, occupants can suffer from exposure in the medium-term from residual dust if the work is not undertaken with the right precautions.
Is occasional exposure to asbestos dangerous? (for example, making a hole in tiling adhesive contaminated with asbestos)
On the one hand, there is no threshold for the effects of asbestos; the risk of pulmonary disease is increased with the number of fibres inhaled. On the other hand, the apartment will be contaminated and the exposure will continue over time.
