Asbestos Abatement in Western Colorado

Asbestos is a group of naturally occurring silicate minerals that were widely used in construction from the 1940s through the early 1980s;  prized for their heat resistance, durability, and insulating properties. 

The most commonly used form is chrysotile (white asbestos).

The danger isn't the material itself sitting undisturbed. It's what happens when it's disturbed. Damaged or agitated asbestos-containing materials release microscopic fibres into the air that can be inhaled and become permanently lodged in lung tissue. 

The body has no way to break them down or expel them. Long-term exposure is directly linked to mesothelioma, asbestosis, and lung cancer: conditions that can take 15 to 30 years to develop after exposure, and for which there are no cures.

For more information on health impacts, see the CDPHE Asbestos and Your Health page.

If your property was built before 1990, there's a genuine chance. Asbestos wasn't just used in industrial settings. It was a standard ingredient in dozens of common building materials including drywall joint compound, popcorn and textured ceilings, vinyl floor tiles and the mastic adhesive beneath them, pipe insulation, roofing felt, furnace insulation, and duct tape on HVAC systems.

Older housing stock is common across the Grand Valley, the Colorado River communities, and towns throughout eastern Utah, many of which saw significant construction during the post-war boom years when asbestos use was at its peak.

One important point: you cannot always identify asbestos by sight. The fibres are microscopic, and many materials that contain it look no different from those that don't. Testing by an accredited laboratory is the only way to know for certain.

Colorado's requirements are set out in CDPHE Regulation 8, Part B. The key rules are:

Buildings of any age may contain asbestos-containing materials. If the components to be disturbed exceed the trigger levels, they must be inspected by a Colorado-certified Asbestos Building Inspector before work begins.

For single-family residential dwellings, the trigger levels are 50 linear feet on pipes, 32 square feet on other surfaces, or the volume equivalent of a 55-gallon drum.

For public and commercial buildings, the trigger levels are 260 linear feet on pipes, 160 square feet on other surfaces, or the volume equivalent of a 55-gallon drum. 

For demolition specifically, the building or area to be demolished must be inspected by a Colorado-certified asbestos inspector regardless of trigger levels, and a Demolition Notification Application must be submitted to CDPHE even if no asbestos was found during the inspection. 

While Encompass Environmental does not carry out asbestos testing ourselves, we can help arrange testing with one of our qualified, trusted partners. Finding asbestos can be stressful and disruptive, but by working with us and our partners, we'll ensure required work is carried out efficiently and seamlessly to avoid further disruption and paperwork.

Utah's asbestos programme is administered by the Utah DEQ Division of Air Quality's ATLAS section under Utah Asbestos Rule R307-801 and the federal Asbestos NESHAP rule (40 CFR 61 Subpart M).

The NESHAP rule applies to renovation and demolition activities at all institutional, commercial, public, industrial, and residential buildings with more than four dwelling units. If your project involves wrecking, salvaging, or removing any load-bearing structural members, you are required to submit a demolition notification form.

Residential facilities with four or fewer units built on or after January 1, 1992, no longer require an asbestos inspection prior to renovation or demolition, a rule change that took effect in early 2026. However, demolition notification requirements still apply to these properties.

While Encompass Environmental does not carry out asbestos testing ourselves, we can help arrange testing with one of our qualified, trusted partners. Finding asbestos can be stressful and disruptive, but by working with us and our partners, we'll ensure required work is carried out efficiently and seamlessly to avoid further disruption and paperwork.

In most cases, yes. Abatement must be conducted by a Colorado-certified General Abatement Contractor. The contractor must submit an Asbestos Abatement Notification and Permit Application to CDPHE along with a permit fee, and a ten working-day notification period is required before work can begin. In emergency situations, a waiver of the notification period can be requested.

You can find the CDPHE abatement notification and permit application and fee schedule on the CDPHE website. We handle all of this as part of every project.  You don't need to navigate the paperwork yourself.

For regulated quantities, no. DIY removal is not a legal option in Colorado or Utah. 

Abatement must be conducted by a Colorado-certified General Abatement Contractor, and all asbestos-containing material waste must be disposed of at an approved asbestos waste disposal site, regardless of quantity.

 Attempting removal without proper certification risks releasing fibres throughout your property, exposing occupants, and attracting significant fines and potential criminal liability.

It cannot go in a standard skip or landfill. All asbestos-containing material waste must be disposed of at an approved asbestos waste disposal site regardless of quantity or whether a permit was required.

CDPHE maintains a list of Colorado landfills approved to accept asbestos-containing waste. We handle all packaging, transport, waste manifests, and disposal documentation — nothing falls on you to arrange separately.

The process follows the same disciplined sequence on every job. The affected area is isolated using sealed containment barriers and negative-pressure HEPA-filtered ventilation to prevent fibre migration to other parts of the building.

 Our technicians work in full PPE throughout. Asbestos-containing materials are carefully removed, double-bagged, labelled, and transported to an approved disposal facility with full documentation. 

After removal, air monitoring is conducted to confirm fibre levels meet safety thresholds. The space is only cleared for re-occupancy once clearance testing comes back clean.

Not always. Undisturbed asbestos-containing material in good condition can sometimes be managed in place — a practice known as encapsulation or operations and management — rather than removed. Removal is required when the amount of asbestos-containing material that is friable, or will become friable during the work, exceeds the trigger levels. 

If you're not renovating or demolishing, and the material is in sound condition, removal may not be necessary. A certified inspection will give you a clear answer.

Significant. Non-compliance with CDPHE Regulation 8 or the federal NESHAP rule can result in stop-work orders, substantial fines, mandatory remediation at your own expense, and in some cases personal criminal liability. 

Both Colorado and Utah enforce these requirements actively. The CDPHE's general asbestos contact is cdphe.asbestos@state.co.us or 720-507-5136 if you have compliance questions.

Don't disturb it further. Keep people away from the area and avoid sweeping or vacuuming, which can spread fibres. Get in touch with us and we can point you towards a certified testing partner. If asbestos is confirmed, we'll take it from there.