Asbestos and Drywall

There are new procedures for accepting drywall at SCRD facilities due to new requirements from WorkSafeBC  for those potentially working with asbestos and a WorkSafeBC Work Order at our drywall recycler.

The SCRD has to comply with these requirements or New West Gypsum will not be able to accept our drywall. There are no other options immediately available to the SCRD to recycle or dispose of drywall.

The following requirements are effective as of June 13, 2023. They are in place for the safety of residents, contractors, SCRD staff and New West Gypsum staff from the risk of asbestos. Review the information below and ensure all future renovation and construction work complies with these requirements before bringing your material to the Sechelt Landfill or Pender Harbour Transfer Station.

We appreciate your efforts to comply with these requirements as we work to maintain the drywall recycling service at our facilities.

Asbestos and Your Health

Found in more than 3,000 pre-1990s building materials, asbestos can be hiding in plain sight. It is highly recommended that qualified professionals are retained before beginning any work, demolition or renovation. They can conduct a Hazardous Building Materials Assessment for your home. See below for “what is a qualified person”.

Breathing in asbestos fibres can cause serious health problems, lung diseases and cancer. Review WorkSafeBC’s Asbestos Awareness for Homeowners to keep you and your family safe from the risk of asbestos.

As of June 13, 2023, the following changes have been in effect.

  • Homeowner or Contractor must present a piece of drywall with a date stamp of 1990 or newer to the scale attendant before entry to the drop off area is granted.
  • Analytical test results are not required for drywall with date stamps 1990 or newer.
  • The date stamp must be clearly visible to scale attendant, staff will NOT be handling the drywall, the public will not be permitted to disturb their loads until a date stamp is presented,
  • There must be at least one piece of date stamped drywall that matches for every type of drywall in the load. Matching drywall is identified by paint colour, texture, finish and other identifying characteristics. For example, if someone has peach painted drywall, white drywall and texture drywall they must show a piece of date stamped drywall for each type, a total of 3 pieces in this example.
  • After inspecting your date stamp(s).  The Scale Attendant will provide a Drywall Declaration Form that has to be filled out and legible.

Accepted Drywall Stamp

Not Accepted Drywall Stamp

**Manufacturer’s date stamps are black, blue or purple (the different colours are attributed to low printer ink during manufacturing).  Acceptable date stamps are NEVER green.  The date stamp can be on the front, back or edge of the board**

Suspended from access to our sites until we are able to meet new WorkSafeBC requirements:

  • Drywall older than 1990
  • Drywall without a date stamps

To prepare for WorkSafeBC requirements – but not able to accept yet.

  • All contractors or homeowners hiring contractors of any type must ensure any drywall older than 1990 or without a date stamp has a Hazardous Material Survey completed by a Qualified Person as per OSH regulations, OHSR 20.112(1)-(8).
  • New West Gypsum may accept drywall of this category, please carefully review their procedures and ensure you have appropriate documentation BEFORE going to their site. https://www.nwgypsum.com/british-columbia-can.html

More information will be released as WorkSafeBC finalizes their decisions and we are able to meet the requirements at our sites.

The following materials may contain asbestos and require testing:

  • Ceiling tiles
  • Cement (transite) panels
  • Fire retardant cement board (not HardiePlank)
  • Flooring: vinyl tiles and linoleum sheet flooring; flooring adhesives
  • Stucco
  • Textured ceilings and coatings
  • Vermiculite (no testing required, contains asbestos)

If test results are negative for asbestos:

  • Materials testing negative for asbestos can be delivered to the Sechelt Landfill or Pender Harbour Transfer Station during regular operating hours accompanied by negative test results, within 6 months of the test.
  • These materials are subject to a disposal fee. Learn more at www.scrd.ca/disposal-fees

If tests results detect asbestos

Materials testing positive for asbestos (other than drywall / gypsum and joint compound with) may be disposed of at the Sechelt Landfill only. It is recommended to contact a qualified asbestos abatement, removal and disposal company to assist with safe removal, transportation and disposal.

The Sechelt Landfill requires the following six-step disposal procedure:

  1. Bag using 6 mil clear bags: Fill bag so you can easily lift with one hand to shoulder height. For long pipes, seal broken ends in 6 mil plastic.
  2. Securely seal: Twist the unused top portion of bag into a tail, seal with duct tape at the base of the tail, bend leftover tail section around to make a loop, attach to base of the tail using duct tape.
  3. Double bag: Place the first bag into the second bag and repeat sealing procedure. Wipe outside of bags with wet cloth.
  4. Clearly label as asbestos
  5. Schedule drop-off: Call the Sechelt Landfill to schedule drop-off of your asbestos. Please provide the number of bags you would like to bring, the material inside the bag, your name and your phone number. You will receive a phone call back to schedule a time, which may take 1-2 weeks. Landfill staff need extra time to arrange for special landfilling procedures. If you must cancel, please call the Sechelt Landfill a minimum of 24 hours before your scheduled time.
  6. Deliver load: At the schedule time, please bring your materials to the Sechelt Landfill. The disposal fee for Waste Asbestos applies. Learn more at www.scrd.ca/disposal-fees

Handouts

These are provided as a summary. Refer to WorkSafeBC before beginning any work.

Frequently Asked Questions

We understand that these changes are sudden and are endeavouring to provide as much information as we can. For drywall newer than 1990, we don’t need the test results.

For drywall older than 1990, we still cannot accept it at this time. You will have to contact an qualified professional (see above), or self haul to New West Gypsum and your test results will be likely be needed by them. See above for info about New West Gypsum.

If you have materials that are not drywall, but required testing, keep the test results and present them for materials we are able to bury in the landfill, ex. ceiling tiles, as outlined in the section above on “Materials that may contain asbestos but are NOT drywall/gypsum”.

To be able to drop the load, you must have a piece of drywall with a legible date stamp for each colour and texture of drywall in the load.

You will be directed to leave the site to look for a piece of drywall with a date stamp or you can seek abatement services for the load.

If there is not a piece of drywall with a legible date stamp that is consistent with the load, we cannot accept the load at this time.