Depending how extensive the problem is, you may want to move out of the house while the problem is being remedied. The work area is always contained in some way, usually with plastic sheeting so no fibers escape into the air, where they can linger for a long time.

The asbestos contractor handles cleanup and disposal in a sanitary landfill that is designated for hazardous wastes, typically supervised by your state’s environmental protection agency.

Similar precautions and disposal methods are required for lead-based paint. It has been 25 years since the federal government told paint manufacturers to reduce the lead content of paint to a trace .06 percent. But more than 75 percent of all homes in the United States-about 42 million built before 1978-contain a greater amount of lead contaminants. Not until 14 years after the ban did the government finally recognize that contaminated dust from lead-based paint wasthe primary cause of lead poisoning in children.

The Residential Lead-Based Paint Reduction Act, which became law in 1992, established standards and programs to rid housing of lead-based contaminants. The result is that 26 million fewer homes have lead-based paint since the legislation was enacted, according to the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Tagged: budget, children, health, homeowner, house, material, paint, safety