As we can all agree, weather as we know is continually changing. Who remembers the 90-degree temperatures late last September? And just last week there was snow in Florida and New Hampshire’s Mount Washington registered as the second coldest point on the planet! This continual evolution of weather could easily be described as destabilized, and it is impacting our environment. One of the key statements to our mission is to:

Make our population safer by removing hazardous materials from indoor and outdoor sites, preserving natural resources, preventing pollution, and protecting the environment.

Too often than not, attention given to the environment is reactive as opposed to proactive. Even in our work, we offer clean-up, removal, and demolition. Although our team can certainly help with these and are experienced in this work, we are looking at 2018 with an opportunity to be just a tad more proactive. Here are 3 ways we as a community can be more environmentally proactive in 2018.

• Plan for Asbestos Remediation | Yes, we know removing asbestos is typically a reactive activity, but there is an opportunity to be proactive in planning for and removing it in safe and effective way, as opposed to waiting until something and/or someone disturbs it and it becomes a hazard. Schools are mandated to have an asbestos removal plan in place, continuously making effort to mitigate asbestos each year and/or as resources allow. This is an initiative that can and should be adopted for commercial and residential properties where it is known or suspected that asbestos exists.
• Prevent Mold | The key to mold prevention is moisture control and although there are numerous ways to control moisture, identifying problem areas, drying any wet areas immediately, and ensuring proper ventilation are three fundamentals. Problem areas may include a basement that floods or areas where condensation is prone such as a poorly ventilated bathroom. One way to instill the area is kept dry is to make sure that any appliances have vents to the outside, or that exhaust fans are in place and working to deplete any moisture. If vents are not prevalent, use a dehumidifier to aid in the war on moisture control.
• Survey Demolition Sites in Advance | When it comes to interior or select demolition projects, it is wise to either conduct a survey in advance to determine what may lie hidden within the walls and/or have an environmental professional on-site during the demolition to help secure the site and identify and remediate any potentially hazardous materials should they be present.

Of course, there are so many ways to be proactive when it comes to the environment and hopefully this quick hit list might spark an idea or two for keeping the community-at-large safe from hazardous materials found within our homes, offices, or schools.

Should you need help with mold remediation, asbestos removal, and/or interior or select demolition, please contact Banner Environmental Services. We provide environmental services to all of Rhode Island and Massachusetts, including Cape Cod and the Islands.