The Problem: Asbestos Is Everywhere -- And Nobody Agrees on What to Do

From my experience working with asbestos for over 40 years -- trained and certified as an Asbestos Project Designer and Supervisor, and having encountered it on projects across the United States and around the world -- I have seen one truth repeated endlessly: when asbestos is discovered, panic too often replaces clear thinking.

That panic is expensive. And in many cases, it makes the situation worse -- not better.

Here is what I want every building owner, facilities manager, and environmental professional to understand: when you find asbestos, there are exactly three options available to you.

Not one.
Not two.
Three.

And the right choice depends entirely on the specific circumstances of your situation.

⚠ THE THREE OPTIONS WHEN ASBESTOS IS DISCOVERED
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Option 1: Do Nothing (leave it completely undisturbed)

Option 2: Full Removal and Replacement (abatement)

Option 3: In-Place Management

Each option must be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Asbestos-containing materials (ACM) are present in an estimated over 2,000 product types and can be found on millions of buildings worldwide.

In the United States alone, it exists in everything from spray-on structural fireproofing to roof and wall panels, floor tiles, pipe insulation, and ceiling systems.

It is not going away.

The question is never simply 'is there asbestos here?'

The real question is: 'What is the safest, most effective, most economical way to deal with it -- given this specific building, this specific material, and these specific people?'

That is a case-by-case question.

And the answer -- according to the EPA, according to the science, and according to what I have seen firsthand over four decades -- is often Option 3.

The Escalation: What Happens When the Wrong Option Is Chosen

Let me be honest with you about something I have watched play out over and over again across this industry and the world.

For decades, building owners were effectively given two choices: remove the asbestos, or do nothing and hope for the best.
The removal industry -- which stood to earn substantial fees -- had a financial incentive to push Option 2 aggressively.
The 'do nothing' camp left building owners paralyzed and unprotected.

What was rarely presented -- and what the EPA has actually documented as the preferred approach in many situations -- was the third option: responsible, professional, in-place management.

"Removal is often not a building owner's best course of action to reduce asbestos exposure. In fact, an improper removal can create a dangerous situation where none previously existed." -- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency -- Managing Asbestos In Place, 1990

This is not a fringe position.

This is the United States Environmental Protection Agency -- on record -- stating that removal can be the wrong answer.

Full removal disturbs intact fibers, generates massive volumes of hazardous waste, exposes workers and occupants to elevated fiber release during the process, and can cost three to four times more than in-place management.

The 548 million tons of construction and demolition debris generated in the U.S. every year (EPA) includes an enormous amount of hazardous asbestos-containing material that should never have been disturbed in the first place.

The consequences are environmental, financial, and human.

When asbestos is needlessly removed, the hazardous fiber that was safely locked inside a stable matrix is suddenly airborne and dangerous.

Workers face elevated risk.

Neighboring occupants face risk.

And the costs -- direct and indirect -- escalate rapidly through contractor fees, disposal, relocation, production downtime, and replacement material that is often inferior to what was removed.

"Intact and undisturbed asbestos materials do not pose a health risk. The mere presence of asbestos in a building does not mean that the health of building occupants is endangered. ACM (Asbestos Containing Materials) which is in good condition, and is not somehow damaged or disturbed, is not likely to release asbestos fibers into the air." -- EPA -- Managing Asbestos In Place (1990)

I have worked with sophisticated, ethical abatement professionals who have told me directly: 'I can make far more money removing and replacing this asbestos -- but that is not what is best for my client.'

That is professional integrity. It is also, unfortunately, not universal in this industry.

The asbestos industry has historically been prone to what I call lies of omission -- presenting only two options when three exist, emphasizing fear over facts, and allowing financial incentives to drive recommendations that do not serve building owners or the environment.

What I tell my family and friends and my clients is this: before accepting any recommendation about asbestos, understand all three options and demand a case-by-case evaluation.

The Solution: In-Place Management with Green ENCASEMENT Coatings

It seems to me -- after 40+ years in this field -- that the most overlooked, most practical, and most EPA-aligned answer to asbestos in buildings is professional in-place management with the right Green ENCASEMENT Coatings system.

This is not a compromise.
This is not 'settling' for less.
In many cases -- and the EPA agrees -- it is the superior choice.

"EPA recommends a pro-active, in-place management program whenever ACM (asbestos-containing material) is discovered. In many buildings, a well-run O&M program may be all that is necessary to control the release of asbestos fibers until the ACM in the building is removed through renovation or demolition activities." -- EPA -- Managing Asbestos In Place (1990)

The EPA's 1990 guidance Managing Asbestos In Place -- the foundational federal document on this subject -- outlines Operations and Maintenance (O&M) as a program of training, surveillance, and work practices designed to keep ACM stable and fiber release minimized.

The agency explicitly states that 'when ACM is properly managed, release of asbestos fibers into the air is minimized.'

The philosophy was reinforced throughout the tenure of former EPA Administrator William K. Reilly, under whose leadership the EPA took the position that existing asbestos in schools, public buildings, and infrastructure must often be managed carefully in place -- because wholesale removal is not only impractical at scale, but can itself increase exposure if not executed perfectly.

Commentaries associated with Reilly and subsequent EPA officials have consistently held that the safest and most realistic approach is a strict in-place management program -- not reflexive removal.

Green ENCASEMENT Coatings operationalize exactly this approach.

They deliver what an O&M program demands: a durable, professionally applied, protective barrier that locks in asbestos fibers, prevents disturbance, and extends the safe, useful life of the structure -- all without the disruption, hazardous waste generation, and extreme cost of removal.

The Three-Dimensional Methodology of Green ENCASEMENT Coatings

Dimension 1 -- GREEN: Protection That Works With Nature

Our Green ENCASEMENT Coatings are zero-VOC, water-based, non-toxic, biodegradable, and ozone-safe. They are Class A fire rated and fully compliant with EPA/CARB Regulation 1113, ASTM standards, LEED v4, Green Seal GS-11, and OSHA HazCom. The application process itself is safe for occupied buildings -- no toxic off-gassing, no hazardous waste, no evacuation required.

Dimension 2 -- ENCASEMENT: Engineering-Grade Asbestos Management

This is where Green ENCASEMENT Coatings fundamentally depart from paint -- and from lesser coatings marketed as asbestos 'sealers.' This system cross-link bonds to the substrate at the molecular level, forming a seamless, monolithic membrane that becomes one with the surface.
It does not sit on top as a film.
It does not peel.
It does not fail under UV, weather, or temperature extremes.

Green ENCASEMENT Coatings purpose-engineered asbestos management coating -- delivers a long-lasting, guaranteed 20-year renewable service life cycle. That is at minimum four to six times longer than any conventional paint product (which typically fails in three to five years, often far sooner on exterior surfaces). When an asbestos roof or wall panel or any other ACM is treated with Green ENCASEMENT Coatings the hazardous fibers are locked inside a durable, breathable, fully adhered membrane that holds for decades.

Dimension 3 -- COATINGS: Standard Application, Extraordinary Results

Green ENCASEMENT Coatings apply with standard brush, roller, or spray equipment. Water cleanup. Local labor. No specialized abatement containment required for the coating application itself. The system is self-leveling, breathable, and conforms to irregular surfaces, bridging cracks and gaps that would allow fiber release -- or water infiltration -- if left untreated.

WHERE IN-PLACE MANAGEMENT WITH GREEN ENCASEMENT COATINGS DELIVERS THE MOST VALUE

Spray-On Fireproofing on Structural Steel (High-Rise Buildings, Skyscrapers)

Asbestos-Containing Concrete Roof Panels -- interior/exterior, millions of sq. ft. worldwide

Asbestos-Containing Wall Panels -- sealing fiber, adding waterproofing and solar reflectivity

Damaged or Friable ACM Surfaces -- even compromised materials can be safely managed

Roofing Systems: 20+ years of waterproofing + asbestos containment in one application

Saves up to 75% vs. full removal and replacement | Zero hazardous waste generated

Why 20+ Years on an Exterior Roof Matters So Much

Here is what I've seen worldwide firsthand that most people in this space never talk about: the exterior roof is the most demanding, most attacked surface on any building.

It faces constant UV bombardment, thermal expansion and contraction, standing water, high winds, and storm events.

It is also, in millions of buildings worldwide, an asbestos-containing panel that is simultaneously serving as the structural ceiling of the space below.

When that panel is left untreated and begins to deteriorate, you have a dual crisis: a leaking roof and the potential release of asbestos fibers -- directly into the occupied interior below.

This is not a theoretical risk.

This is happening in buildings every day.

A single application of Green ENCASEMENT Coatings liquid-applied roofing system resolves both problems simultaneously.

The seamless, fully adhered monolithic membrane stops water infiltration immediately, locks in asbestos fibers, and turns the dark absorptive roof surface into a solar reflective barrier that reduces interior cooling loads by 15 to 40% and surface temperatures by 50 to 80°F.

And it holds for at least 20 years under a guaranteed renewable warranty cycle -- not three years, not five. Two decades of protection, after which the system is renewed (not replaced), extending its service life indefinitely.

That means a roof that would otherwise require removal and replacement -- at three to four times the cost, with the generation of hazardous asbestos waste -- instead provides generation-spanning protection at a fraction of the cost.

No fasteners. No seams. No pierce points. No uplift vulnerability. No opportunity for wind to penetrate and peel.

The coating conforms fully to the existing surface, bridges existing cracks and gaps, and holds under the same forces that would eventually destroy a conventionally maintained roof system.

"Encasement in lieu of replacement should be the focus for all Facilities, Commercial and Residential." -- Rick Scuderi, Facility Solutions Plus, New York

What About Loose or Damaged Asbestos? It Can Still Be Managed.

One of the most important facts I want to convey -- and one that surprises many people -- is that in-place management with Green ENCASEMENT Coatings is not limited to intact, undamaged ACM.

Even surfaces where asbestos-containing materials have begun to degrade, where fiber release is already occurring, or where the substrate has been compromised by weather, water, or age can be safely treated.

Green ENCASEMENT Coatings systems penetrates and bonds at the molecular level, locking down loose and friable fiber before applying the encasement membrane above.

GEI's MPE (Multi-Penetrating Encapsulant) is specifically engineered for post-disaster lockdown -- stabilizing and sealing hazardous debris from wildfires, storms, and flooding that can disturb existing ACM and cause dangerous fiber release.

This is not patching.
This is not a temporary band-aid.
This is engineering-grade stabilization and long-term encasement -- proven on projects from the New York World Trade Center (500,000 sq. ft. of asbestos-containing fireproofing, treated with 8,000 gallons of Green ENCASEMENT Coatings to Kadena Air Base in Japan (110,000 sq. ft. of munitions storage hangar with ACM, described by the contractor as 'faster, cheaper, and less disruptive' than any removal and replacement alternative).

The Results: What Case-By-Case Evaluation -- and ENCASEMENT -- Actually Delivers

When the three-option framework is applied honestly, and the right circumstances exist for in-place management, here is what building owners, facilities managers, and environmental professionals have consistently experienced:

• Hazard elimination without hazardous waste: Asbestos fibers are locked in place under a long-lasting, guaranteed 20-year renewable membrane. No abatement containment. No hazardous waste transportation or disposal. No generation of the 548 million tons/year of C&D debris that removal contributes to.

• Cost savings up to 75%: In-place management consistently delivers savings of up to 75% compared to full removal and replacement -- including all indirect costs such as building downtime, occupant relocation, production loss, and new material procurement. Fortis/Portland State University confirmed this in real-world application: '1/10th the cost of removal.'

• Structural and environmental preservation: Green ENCASEMENT Coatings strengthen rather than simply cover. They add waterproofing, impact resistance, and breathability to the surfaces they treat -- extending the useful life of structural assets that would otherwise be demolished and replaced. The asbestos-containing panels and fireproofing that have safely served the building continue to serve it.

• Solar reflectivity and energy savings: exterior and roof surfaces turn dark, heat-absorbing surfaces into solar reflective barriers -- reducing cooling loads by 15 to 40%, dropping surface temperatures by 50 to 80°F, and contributing to EPA/DOE Energy Star compliance. Cool roofs globally have the documented capacity to offset 24 gigatons of CO₂ (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory).

• Occupied-building application -- no disruption: Because Green ENCASEMENT Coatings are zero-VOC, water-based, and non-toxic, they can be applied in occupied buildings without evacuation, production shutdown, or hazardous materials protocols for the application itself. Continuity of operations is maintained throughout.

• Proven at scale, for decades: 'Worked for over 20 years!' is not a marketing claim -- it is what a North Carolina Building owner told us after two decades of service on their property. Selfridge Air National Guard Base reported 'the best stuff on the market' after 10+ years of performance. The Cherokee Nation confirmed: 'First time in 20 years the roof has been secure.' The system works -- and it lasts.

The Bottom Line on Asbestos Decision-Making

Every situation involving asbestos deserves a case-by-case evaluation -- an honest, complete analysis that considers the condition of the material, the risk to occupants, the regulatory environment, the cost of each option, and the long-term goals of the building owner.

What I tell my family and friends and clients in this situation: do not let anyone present you with only two options when three exist.
Do not let fear or financial pressure drive you to the most expensive, most disruptive, most hazardous-waste-generating option when a better path is available.

The EPA has said it clearly.
Field science confirms it.
Forty years of my own direct experience validates it: when asbestos-containing material is properly managed in place with the right professional system, it is not a health hazard.
It is a managed material -- stable, sealed, and safe.

Green ENCASEMENT Coatings are that system.
And in-place management with Green ENCASEMENT Coatings is very often the right answer.

READY TO EVALUATE YOUR ASBESTOS SITUATION?

Contact George C. Keefe -- The ENCASEMENT Guy -- for a case-by-case assessment.

800-266-3982 | service@encasement.com | encasementguy.com

Why Replace When You Can ENCASE?

Cited Sources

• U.S. EPA -- Managing Asbestos In Place (1990 O&M Guide) -- foundational EPA guidance on Operations and Maintenance programs as the preferred asbestos management strategy.

• U.S. EPA -- Learn About Asbestos -- Overview of asbestos presence in over 2,000 product types and EPA regulatory framework.

• U.S. EPA -- Final Rule: Chrysotile Asbestos Ban (2024) -- EPA prohibition on chrysotile asbestos, the last remaining asbestos type in U.S. industrial use; 40,000+ annual U.S. asbestos-related deaths cited.

• U.S. EPA -- Construction and Demolition Debris: Material-Specific Data -- 548 million tons of C&D debris generated annually in the U.S.

• William K. Reilly, Former EPA Administrator -- EPA History: William K. Reilly -- Administrative philosophy supporting in-place asbestos management and pollution prevention in lieu of unnecessary removal.

• Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory -- Cool Roofs: Global CO₂ Offset Potential -- Cool roofs globally can offset 24 gigatons of CO₂. Solar reflective coatings reduce surface temps 50-80°F and cooling loads 15-40%.

• EPA/DOE Energy Star -- Energy Star Roof Products -- GEI RoofCoat™ is EPA/DOE Energy Star listed for solar reflectivity and energy performance.

• Global Encasement, Inc. -- AsbestoSafe® Product Information -- 20-year guaranteed renewable service life cycle; interior/exterior asbestos-containing material management system.

• George C. Keefe -- Just Encase They Think You're Stupid (2009), ISBN 1-4392-3798-0 -- Field-experience-based reference guide on asbestos management, encasement decision-making, and the Ben Franklin Balance Sheet methodology. Called 'the Bible of the industry.' Used in EPA lead certification courses.

Source: Global Encasement, Inc. | Est. Reading Time: 9 min

© 2026 Global Encasement, Inc. / ENCASEMENTguy.com | Educational/SEO resource. All citations link to authoritative sources.

DISCLAIMER: This article reflects the professional opinion of George C. Keefe based on 40+ years of field experience in environmental coatings and building protection.
It is provided for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, regulatory, or abatement advice.
All asbestos management decisions must comply with applicable federal, state, and local regulations. Regulatory requirements vary by jurisdiction, project type, and ACM condition.
Building owners should consult with a certified industrial hygienist and licensed asbestos professional before making any asbestos management decision.
EPA quotes are drawn from publicly available agency publications and guidance documents.
References to project performance, cost savings, and product service life reflect real-world results that may vary by application, substrate condition, climate, and maintenance practices.