Barriere and the surrounding North Thompson communities, from Louis Creek and McLure to Darfield, are a mix of town lots, acreages, older homes and outbuildings. If your property was built before 1990 and you're planning work that will cut into walls, ceilings, floors or the attic, it's worth finding out about asbestos first. We connect Barriere-area property owners with specialists who serve the North Thompson.
Projects where asbestos often comes up
- Attic upgrades. Loose, pebble-like vermiculite insulation can contain asbestos. HealthLink BC advises not disturbing it, keeping children out of the attic and not using it for storage until it's been assessed.
- Older houses and manufactured homes. Drywall mud, textured ceilings and vinyl flooring are commonly tested before renovations.
- Shops, barns and outbuildings. Asbestos cement siding and roofing materials were used on many older structures.
- Tear-downs. Demolishing an old cabin or house requires a hazardous materials survey first, and anything identified must be removed or contained before demolition.
Disposal: plan ahead
If you're clearing out an older building, don't assume the nearest depot will take the debris. The TNRD lists only two TNRD facilities that accept asbestos-containing material: the Heffley Creek Eco-Depot, on the way into Kamloops, and the Lower Nicola Eco-Depot near Merritt. Material installed before 1990 is treated as asbestos-containing unless lab results show otherwise, and it must be double-bagged in sealed 6-mil bags with a signed declaration form. In most cases your abatement contractor handles this. Details are on the TNRD asbestos page.
The basic steps
- Leave suspect material alone.
- Have a qualified person sample and test it, and get a written report. See testing and inspection.
- Hire a licensed abatement contractor to deal with anything that will be disturbed, and get their closing report. See asbestos removal.
Kamloops Asbestos Removal is an independent referral service, not an asbestos contractor. Testing and removal are carried out by independent professionals, and abatement contractors must hold a valid WorkSafeBC Asbestos Abatement Licence. Availability, travel charges and scheduling are set by the contractor.
Get connected in Barriere
Call or send the quote form with your address or area, roughly when the building was built and what you're planning. We'll pass your request to a specialist who serves Barriere so they can contact you directly. There's no charge to request a quote.
More reading: Does my home have asbestos? · Asbestos testing: what to expect · B.C. asbestos rules for homeowners
Sources: HealthLink BC: Asbestos; TNRD: Asbestos; TNRD: Hazard Building Material Assessments; OHS Regulation Part 20.