Removal Specialists | Calgary and Edmonton
Asbestos removal means safely taking out materials that contain asbestos. The trade word for it is abatement. An independent consultant tests before and after the work. Our crew seals the area, removes the material wet, bags it for disposal and cleans up. We follow Alberta’s asbestos rules on every job.
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Asbestos removal means taking out materials that contain asbestos so the fibres cannot reach the air you breathe. Abatement is the trade word for the same job. On our jobs, the two terms mean the same thing.
Other terms sound close but are not the same. This table shows how they differ.
| Term | What it means | When it fits |
|---|---|---|
| Removal (abatement) | The material is taken out, bagged and disposed of | The material is damaged, in the way of a renovation or coming down in a demolition |
| Remediation | A wider word for dealing with an asbestos problem. It can include removal. | You will see it in reports and paperwork |
| Encapsulation | A sealant coats the material and it stays in place | The material is sound and nobody will disturb it |
| Leaving it alone | No work, only a note of where it is | The material is intact and in good condition |
Which choice fits depends on the condition of the material and your plans for the space. An independent consultant can help you decide.
It has to be removed when work will disturb it or when it is damaged. It can stay when it is intact and nobody will touch it.
The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) says materials in good condition usually do not release fibres. Cracks, tears and water damage change that. Damaged material should be assessed by a professional. See the CCOHS asbestos page.
Removing asbestos is usually the right call when:
If you are not sure what you have, test before you decide. Our guide to asbestos floor tiles shows how to spot suspect flooring.
An independent consultant, hired by you, tests before we start and again when we finish. We do not test our own work. The consultant’s report names each material and where it sits, and our crew works from it. After cleanup, the consultant checks the area before the containment comes down. For how samples are taken and what the results mean, read our asbestos testing guide.
The asbestos removal process follows a set order: test, plan, notify, contain, remove, clean, clear and dispose. Here is what happens at each stage.
The consultant samples suspect materials. A lab confirms what they contain. The report becomes the plan for everything that follows.
We walk the space, mark the work area, plan the route out and set the crew size. The company doing the abatement notifies Alberta OHS 72 hours before work that may release fibres.
Poly and tape seal the work area. Air handling keeps air moving in a controlled direction. The crew has a set entry where they suit up and clean off before they leave.
The material is kept wet so fibres stay down. It comes out in pieces by hand tools. Dry scraping, sanding and breaking send fibres into the air, so they are not how asbestos is removed.
Removed material goes straight into heavy bags. The bags are sealed, labelled and held inside the containment until they leave.
Every surface inside the containment is vacuumed with HEPA filtration and wiped wet.
The consultant inspects the area and takes air samples. The containment stays up until the area passes. This is the asbestos clearance check.
The sealed waste goes to an approved landfill. You receive the paperwork you need for your records and, where it applies, for your permit.
Our asbestos abatement services start after the consultant’s report. Each party has its own role.
| Who | What they do |
|---|---|
| You, the owner | Hire the independent consultant, approve the scope and decide what is removed |
| Independent consultant | Samples before, writes the report and checks the area after |
| Enviro | Contains the area, removes the material, bags it, cleans up and hauls the waste |
| Alberta OHS | Receives the 72-hour notice before work that may release fibres |
| Your municipality | Handles permit paperwork for renovation or demolition work |
Buildings from before about 1990 can contain asbestos in several products. You cannot tell by looking, so testing comes first. These are the materials we remove once the report confirms them.
Old vinyl tile and the black glue under it can both contain asbestos. Our asbestos floor tile guide explains how to tell what you have.
We remove textured and popcorn ceilings that contain asbestos as part of an abatement job. We do not scrape popcorn ceilings as a stand-alone service.
The compound over drywall seams can contain asbestos in older walls. It is tested before any wall comes down.
The steps stay the same for residential asbestos abatement in homes and condos. They stay the same for commercial asbestos abatement in offices, shops and tenant spaces. Property managers and general contractors can see how we work with them on our For Property Managers and For General Contractors pages.
Asbestos abatement in Alberta falls under the provincial OHS Code and the Alberta Asbestos Abatement Manual. Four rules matter most to an owner.
The company doing the work must notify Alberta OHS 72 hours before work that may release fibres.
Workers who enter a restricted area must complete an approved asbestos abatement course. Ask any contractor for proof.
Alberta sets an eight-hour exposure limit of 0.1 fibres per cubic centimetre of air. Air monitoring is part of how that limit is checked.
Waste goes into sealed containers that are labelled as asbestos waste.
In Calgary, the City will not release a renovation or demolition permit until a form is filed. It is the Asbestos Abatement Information Form. A representative of the firm doing the work signs it. Other municipalities have their own steps, so check with your city or county.
It depends on where the work is and how well the area can be sealed. Plan to be out when the work area is where you live or when it shares air with the rest of the house.
Ask these questions at the walk-through:
We do not say it is safe to return until the independent clearance check passes.
We keep the material wet, seal the work area and filter the air. The result is Virtually Dust-Free work. A little can always escape, but no dust cloud forms.
It goes to a landfill approved to take it. It never goes in household garbage or a regular bin.
In Calgary, commercial asbestos loads go to the Shepard landfill. The City requires an Industrial Waste Permit and a booked appointment. Details are on the City of Calgary asbestos disposal page.
The cost of asbestos removal, or asbestos abatement cost as some quotes call it, depends on how much material there is, what kind it is, how hard it is to reach and how much containment the job needs. Here is what moves the number on every job:
| Factor | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Amount of material | More area means more time and more waste |
| Type of material | Floor tile and glue need a different method than ceiling texture |
| Access | Stairs, tight spaces and overhead work take longer |
| Containment | A larger or more complex work area needs more setup |
| Independent testing | The consultant’s report and clearance check are separate from our work |
| Waste and disposal | Volume, packaging and landfill rules |
| Schedule | Occupied buildings and fixed dates affect planning |
It depends on the amount of material, the size of the work area and how the testing goes. A small area is a short job. A whole floor or building takes longer.
Setup and cleanup add time before and after the removal itself. The clearance check must pass before the containment comes down, so the schedule always includes it.
A good asbestos removal company answers these questions without hesitation. A reliable asbestos abatement company will welcome them.
If you are searching for asbestos abatement near me, our crews are based in Calgary and Edmonton. We work across both cities and the nearby areas.
In Calgary, that includes the Beltline, Kensington, Bridgeland and Inglewood, and the commercial areas off Deerfoot Trail. In Edmonton, it includes the Whyte Avenue area, the streets around the University of Alberta and downtown. Many older homes in Inglewood, Bridgeland and near Whyte Avenue were built before 1990, which is when testing matters most.
Calgary: 403-874-3000
Edmonton: 780-977-2444
It is risky. Cutting, scraping or breaking the material releases fibres into the air you and your family breathe. Hire a trained crew if the material is damaged, covers a large area or is part of a renovation.
Yes. Abatement is the trade word for removal. The two terms mean the same thing on our jobs.
The company doing the abatement must notify Alberta OHS 72 hours before work that may release fibres. In Calgary, a renovation or demolition permit also needs an abatement information form.
An independent consultant that you hire does the testing. We do not test our own work, because a company that tests and removes has a reason to find more to remove.
It depends on where the work is and how well the area can be sealed. Plan to be out if the work area is where you live or shares air with the rest of the house.
The independent consultant inspects the area and takes air samples after cleanup. The containment stays up until the area passes.
It is wetted, sealed in heavy bags, labelled and taken to a landfill approved to accept it. It never goes in household garbage.
It can add time before the other trades start. Testing early shortens the delay, because the plan is ready before the schedule is set.
Yes, if the building is older than about 1990. We remove popcorn ceilings only as part of an abatement job, and only after testing confirms asbestos.
It is the independent consultant’s final check after cleanup. The consultant inspects the area and takes air samples before the containment comes down.
Tell us about your space and we will walk through the scope with you.