Merritt sits in the Nicola Valley, south of Kamloops on the Coquihalla. Like most B.C. towns, it has plenty of homes, rentals, ranch buildings and commercial properties that went up before 1990, the date WorkSafeBC uses as the rule of thumb for when asbestos is likely to be present. If you're planning to renovate, repair or demolish one of them, we can connect you with a specialist who serves Merritt.
Common situations in Merritt
- Older houses and rentals. Kitchen, bathroom and basement renovations often cut into drywall mud, textured ceilings and vinyl flooring, all of which can contain asbestos in older buildings.
- Water and flood repairs. Removing wet drywall, flooring or insulation from a pre-1990 home can disturb asbestos-containing material. Test the materials before they're torn out.
- Rural and ranch properties. Older outbuildings, shops and farmhouses can have asbestos cement siding, roofing materials, pipe insulation or vermiculite.
- Commercial buildings. Owners and employers have extra duties under B.C.'s Occupational Health and Safety Regulation, including having a qualified person prepare an inventory of asbestos-containing materials at the workplace.
What to do first
- Don't disturb it. Leave suspect material alone and keep people and pets away from anything damaged.
- Get it tested. Before renovation or demolition, B.C. requires a qualified person to inspect for hazardous materials and prepare a written report (OHS Regulation section 20.112). See testing and inspection.
- Hire a licensed abatement contractor to remove or contain whatever the report identifies, and check their licence in the WorkSafeBC Asbestos Abatement Licence Registry.
Disposal in the Nicola Valley
Your contractor normally takes care of disposal, but it helps to know the local rules. The Thompson-Nicola Regional District treats material installed before 1990 as asbestos-containing unless a hazard assessment with lab results is provided ahead of time. It accepts asbestos-containing material at two TNRD facilities, the Lower Nicola Eco-Depot and the Heffley Creek Eco-Depot, double-bagged in sealed 6-mil bags and with a signed Asbestos Declaration and Acknowledgment Form. Commercial loads go to landfill only. Check the TNRD asbestos page for current details before hauling anything yourself.
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 Merritt
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 Merritt 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: WorkSafeBC: asbestos information for homeowners; OHS Regulation Part 20; TNRD: Asbestos.