Asbestos and Hazardous Materials in Power Plants

Blog Overview

Over decades of operation, power plants can accumulate a wide array of substances that pose significant risks to both human health and the environment. The most prevalent hazards include asbestos, which was used in thousands of building products; polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) found in transformers and electrical equipment; lead-based paints, coatings, and caulking; and mercury in switches and guages. Even after these plants are decommissioned, these dangerous materials require careful evaluation, ongoing management and most often abatement.

Assessment and Management

When hazardous materials are identified, they must be carefully addressed. This process involves conducting a comprehensive risk assessment and developing an exposure control plan before beginning any work inside the plant or facility.

Asbestos

Asbestos, when disturbed, can become airborne and fibers inhaled, leading to serious diseases. Recognizing these dangers, regulations require strict risk-assessments, exposure control plans, and often require abatement protocols. When asbestos removal is required, specialized and certified abatement teams, equipped with personal protective equipment (PPE) and advanced filtration systems, are tasked with the meticulous process of asbestos abatement, ensuring that both workers and the surrounding area are isolated from exposure.

Lead 

Lead used to be routinely used in paint, and other building materials like caulking, mortar, and flashing. Lead, a heavy metal, causes developmental, neurological, and cardiovascular issues, and can enter the body through ingestion or inhaling lead dust, fumes, or mists from disturbed paint. Lead typically does not pose the same risks as asbestos regarding becoming airborne. 

Mercury

Mercury was not just in batteries, but also in switches, guages, thermometers, pumps, and more. Mercury has to be handled with extreme caution due to its potential to damage lungs, the central nervous system, and kidneys.

Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) 

PCB chemicals were commonly used in plastics, sealants, dyes, caulking, coatings, transformers and light ballasts. 

These hazardous materials, noted above, are just a few of the hazardous materials that you might find. Clients in the preliminary stages of planning a renovation, decommission or abatement project are welcome to call Enviro-Vac to discuss how we can help. We recognize the value in early project participation and are available to assist clients in developing comprehensive decontamination strategies, programs and budgets. 

Enviro-Vac is one of the oldest privately owned environmental contractors in Canada offering a full suite of services in hazardous materials abatement and decontamination including shrink- wrap containments, industrial vacuum services and abrasive blasting. Enviro-Vac are available to work both small and large-scale projects across Canada. The head office is based in Surrey, BC.

If you have any questions about this article or would like to talk to us about hazardous materials abatement solutions, decontamination of facilities, high-risk containments or industrial vacuum cleaning, please call us on our toll-free number, (888) 296-2499.