Lead Paint Removal: Our Hazardous Waste Disposal & Abatement Process During Demolition

If you lived in the 1800’s, there’s a good chance your bedroom wallpaper would have contained arsenic. Those toxic ink particles and vapors would lazily float through the air, and slowly accumulate inside your body. It wouldn’t have been long before you joined the growing list of mysterious illnesses being reported.

Thankfully, we’ve learnt a lot since then about protecting our health and wellness. People no longer give whiskey to teething babies. Buildings aren’t insulated with asbestos. And lead isn’t used in makeup or paint anymore. 

Even though these practices are extinct, these hazardous materials often rear their ugly heads during industrial demolition. 

Lead paint is often discovered during the early phases of our demolition projects. Since the product wasn’t phased out until the 1970s, many power plants, mills, mines and other industrial buildings from before that period are likely to require lead abatement procedures.

It’s surprising that it took us that long to rid ourselves of lead-based paint. The CDC reports that “between 1925 and 1927, more commercial painters died from lead poisoning than all other occupational groups combined.” Even despite those risks, painters at the time still chose lead-based paint since it was considered vastly superior. 

This article explores some important information on lead-based paint, and how we at Richmond Steel Demolition Services safely remove and dispose of it.

What Are The Dangers of Lead Paint?

Most people know that lead-based paint is dangerous, but not many people are aware of all the associated risks. Consider this excerpt from the Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety:

Effects of Long-Term (Chronic) Exposure: VERY TOXIC. Can cause permanent damage to the nervous system. Symptoms may include restlessness, reduced ability to think, muscle tremors, memory loss and personality changes. In severe cases, symptoms may include muscle weakness, loss of feeling or prickly sensation in the hands, feet, arms or legs, clumsiness and paralysis. Can cause permanent damage to the kidneys. In severe cases, symptoms may include fatigue, increased or decreased urination, nausea, and vomiting. May harm the blood. In severe cases, symptoms may include paleness, fatigue, weakness, dizziness, confusion, shortness of breath and headache. 

The list of concerns doesn’t stop there. Here are just a few of the other potential risks:

While there are government set permissible limits for lead exposure, every effort should be made to minimize contact—especially for demolition crews.

Dump truck and excavator working on demolition site

Why In The World Were Lead-Based Paints Ever Used?!

After reading that laundry list of risks and health concerns, you’re probably asking: “why was lead paint ever used?” Before all of the negative side-effects became apparent, lead paint did offer several key advantages that made it popular at the time.  

Mold and Mildew Resistance: Lead has antimicrobial properties that helped prevent mold and mildew growth on painted surfaces.

Could There Be Lead Paint On My Site?

Earlier, we mentioned the phasing out of lead-based paints began in the 1970’s in Canada. This phasing-out process however took several decades. 

In Canada, it took until the 1990s for regulations to begin applying limits on lead usage in commercial and industrial paint applications. Finally, in the early 2000s, comprehensive regulations effectively banned lead in all paints (although specific industrial uses had longer timelines, but have since transitioned to safer alternatives).

Buildings constructed before the mid-nineteen seventies are more likely to have lead-based paint. With older buildings, the likelihood is often higher. 

Lead-based paints often come with some telltale signs to watch out for: 

The most reliable way to determine if your building has lead paint is through professional testing. Methods such as X-ray fluorescence (XRF) can be used, which can detect lead without disturbing surfaces. Alternatively, paint chip sampling, where small paint samples are analyzed in a lab for lead content, can also be a reliable indicator.

At Richmond Steel, our personal experience in demolitions has shown us that old mines, mills, oil & gas, and power facilities are often likely to contain lead paint.

High reach shear demolishing an industrial building

Overview of the Lead Paint Removal Process: Lead Abatement

Lead abatement during the demolition of a building involves several critical steps to ensure the safe removal and handling of lead-containing materials. 

The process begins with assessment and planning, identifying areas with lead-based paint and assessing the risk. Containment areas can be set up to prevent the spread of lead dust and debris; while workers are equipped with personal protective equipment (PPE) and follow our standard operating procedures (SOPs). 

One of our key practices is avoiding blasting techniques, which can disperse lead dust into the air. Instead, our crews meticulously tear down structures, using precision and care. The use of shears helps to carefully tear apart materials while minimizing direct contact and reducing the risk of lead exposure.

Safety Measures: Protecting Our Crews from Lead Paint Exposure

Considering the many health hazards of lead paint, Richmond Steel has strict procedures in place to ensure the health and safety of our crew during lead abatement. While on site, everyone is required to follow our comprehensive written guidelines and standard operating procedures at all times.

To further protect our crews, we equip them with Powered Air-Purifying Respirators (PAPR) when necessary, ensuring they have the highest level of respiratory protection. Regular blood monitoring is also conducted to track lead levels in our employees, allowing us to take immediate action if elevated levels are detected.

These are just some of the crucial safety measures used in maintaining a safe working environment and safeguarding crews as they handle lead-based materials.

Lead Paint, Our Hazardous Waste Disposal Process

Once materials are carefully removed, they are sent to our integrated mill, which is equipped to process lead-contaminated scrap metal.

At the mill, lead-contaminated materials are processed, and any lead paint on steel is burned and captured off during the melting process. Our facility features a 'baghouse' system with scrubbers that capture fumes and lead particulates released during melting. This advanced filtration system ensures that harmful lead particles do not enter the atmosphere, safely containing and managing the lead residue.

This thorough disposal process ensures that lead paint is managed responsibly, protecting both our workers and the environment from potential lead contamination.

Conclusion

Times have changed. Wallpaper might not contain arsenic these days, but there is still a large amount of lead paint to be found—especially in older industrial sites. 

At Richmond Steel, our lead abatement process handles this hazardous waste disposal in a way that protects people, and our environment. If you have a demolition or material recovery project that could contain lead paint, it’s important to follow the proper procedures. Talk to our demolition specialists today and learn how Richmond Steel’s Demolition Services can guide you through the process safely and efficiently.

The ever changing field of metal recycling : A conversation with industry expert - Richmond Steel Recycling’s President - Harbinder Dhillon

In today’s modern world, industries must adopt new technologies and practices to ensure they are able to remain competitive and relevant. Although the metal recycling industry is one that operates on a lot of the traditional practices, it too has had to modernize. In this blog, we had the opportunity to sit down with Harbinder Dhillon, president of Richmond Steel Recycling (RSR). RSR’s business involves a range of services aimed at collecting, processing, and selling scrap metal for reuse in manufacturing or other applications. Having been with RSR, which started in 1972, for over 30 years, Harbinder has seen the industry change dramatically. Recycling as a whole wasn’t on most people’s radars until about the mid-20th century, this is when environmental awareness and resource conservation efforts spurred increased interest in recycling, leading to the industry's initial mainstream recognition. Technological advancements in sorting and processing techniques during the 1980s and 1990s further streamlined operations, making metal recycling more efficient and contributing to its widespread adoption as a crucial component of sustainable waste management. Today, the industry continues to evolve with innovations in recycling technologies, regulations, and a growing global emphasis on circular economy principles. RSR and its president, Harbinder Dhillon, try to ensure they stay at the forefront of the industry leading in safety, innovation, the environment and empowering their team members.

Another day, another challenge.

Embarking on a career in the metal recycling industry brings an exhilarating sense of dynamism and adaptability. The excitement lies in navigating the ever-changing commodities markets and staying ahead of evolving competition. This dynamic environment ensures that every day in the metal recycling industry is filled with challenges and opportunities, making it a thrilling and dynamic field to be a part of.

We asked: What is exciting about working in the metal recycling industry?

Harbinder shared: The commodities markets are always changing, and competition is ever evolving requiring a person to be dynamic.  Change is being caused by all stakeholders and product to be recycled.

We asked: What has changed the most in the metal recycling industry over the past 5-10 years?

Harbinder shared: The biggest change has come from the industry’s ability to attract top talent. As more talent enters the industry, transformation of the industry accelerates.

The history and value of the industry

Scrap metal recycling involves collecting and processing discarded metals like steel, aluminium, copper, and brass to create new materials. The process begins with the collection of metal items from diverse sources, followed by sorting and processing to remove impurities. This may include shredding or melting, depending on the metal type. The recycled metal finds new life in products such as cars, appliances, construction materials, and packaging, fostering a closed-loop system that reduces the demand for virgin materials. Overall, scrap metal recycling is a pivotal practice in extending material lifespan and reducing the environmental impact of metal production, contributing to a more resource-efficient and eco-conscious industrial landscape.

We asked: What is unique about working in the metal recycling industry?

Harbinder shared: Although metal recycling has been going on for a long time, recent change has happened suddenly. This change is quickly reshaping the industry and its potential.

We asked: What is something that most people don’t know about metal recycling or recycling in general?

Harbinder shared: I think the sheer size and role the metal recycling industry plays in everyone's life is not well understood.  

A deeper understanding and appreciation of the industry. New vs. old.

As stated before, the metal recycling industry is one that has seemed paused in time for certain aspects of the business. This does not mean that businesses and employees were not evolving and improving, but that the traditional practices still had value. RSR prides itself on being a leader in safety, using technology to improve metal recycling processes, and investing in environmental practices, while still taking time to keep the more traditional ways of doing business alive. Visiting client’s, listening to their unique stories and learning from them is something that a lot of companies don’t make the time for, but the relationships that RSR builds with its clients and stakeholders is important to them. As time goes on, RSR hopes to continue to invest in its employees, technologies and the environment to create a beautiful blend between the classic and modern, leading to a sustainable, timeless business.

We asked: What are the biggest challenges facing the metal recycling industry?

Harbinder shared: As some legendary talent retires out of the industry, replacing that talent with employees who are motivated and have the same work ethic will be challenging.

We asked: How does RSR leverage data and analytics to improve operations?

Harbinder shared: RSR uses a host of data collection and analytic tools in assisting decision making. Decisions are data driven rather than based on opinion.

Onwards & upwards: Metal recycling won’t stop, but we must evolve

Having now determined that metal recycling is an essential, sustainable and highly eco-friendly practice that the average consumer should be aware of - it is important to Harbinder that RSR looks ahead and sees what still needs to improve. RSR continues to invest in all aspects of its business to remain competitive and ensure they are bringing their client’s the best metal recycling has to offer. Operating in a commodities market is a challenge within itself, so being able to really prioritize the things at the center of the scrap metal recycling business such as safety, the RSR team, the environment, the communities in which they operate and of course, their clients, is impressive to say the least.

We asked: What upcoming trends do you foresee having a big impact on the metal recycling industry?

Harbinder shared: I think the social licence to operate will dictate which operators remain in business.  Stakeholders will not support old operating practices.

We asked: What is your vision for the future of Richmond Steel Recycling and the metal recycling industry as a whole?

Harbinder shared: For RSR it is to be the most trending setting operator in the industry.  For the industry it is for it to have an image that is in line with current times.

We asked: What makes RSR stand out as an industry leader?

Harbinder shared: RSR is an amazing company for it’s size and that all has to do with the talented people who work as a team to make this happen.  

We asked: What technologies has RSR invested in to improve operations?

Harbinder shared: Recently RSR has invested in multiple technologies including metal separation, radiation scanning and storm water treatment. 

After having the opportunity to sit with Harbinder, there is a feeling of deeper understanding and appreciation for the scrap metal industry and Richmond Steel Recycling. This is a company that backs up the talk with their business practices and provides an essential service to the communities it operates in and around. With RSR, there is no corner cutting or shady deals, they pride themselves on being ethical. Having the opportunity to serve Western Canada, Washington state and Alaska is viewed as their pleasure and they look forward to improving their business so they can better serve their clients, industry partners and the environment. The biggest takeaways from this are:

Safety: The forefront of RSRs business, making sure their employees, industry partners and customers are safe on all of their sites. Without safety, there cannot be any recycling, the risk is too great to humans and the environment.

Innovation: Although Harbinder has been in the industry for three decades, he recognizes the importance of investing in technologies, processes and team members in order to keep the business moving into the future. Being a changemaker, envelope pusher and sometimes the odd one out is OK to RSR as long as it rings true to their core business values.

The work: What must continue regardless of societies trends, regulations, the economy and well, anything really. Since metal recycling is one of the more environmentally friendly resources to reuse it is essential that the average consumer learns that metal recycling, on the smallest level, makes a long term difference to the environment.

The environment: Of course, what really matters to the Richmond Steel RECYCLING. Before it was a buzzword - it was and is the core of the business. From decommissioning huge industrial sites to recycling cars and old appliances, Richmond Steel Recycling Ltd. continues to focus on enhancing their business practices to better serve their customers, communities in which they operate and Mother Earth at large.
Read and learn more about Richmond Steel Recycling at their website or youtube channel.

Phone apps, GPS tracking and the scrap metal industry

You can track a parcel being sent from the depot to your front door and even fast food from the kitchen to your table - but surely such technology isn’t needed for your garbage and in the scrap metal industry? 

The reality is most people probably don’t worry whether the aluminum can they put in the rubbish is recycled, ends up in a landfill or is even dumped in the countryside.

It probably disappears from their minds in seconds and in an even quicker time than it takes to consume the drink contents inside. 

But while tracking a parcel using a phone app can be important so you know you can be in when it arrives at your house, tracking garbage on its journey can bring a number of different benefits to the scrap metal industry.

Cutting waste crime 

The U.K. produces about 200 million tonnes of waste a year - and while analysts can provide this estimate of what goes out in the garbage, they can’t do the same accurately for how much is recycled. 

However, they believe that about 20 million transactions take place where quantities of it change hands between transport and collection companies, disposal and recycling firms.

There any many potential problems with this current system because there is no way of telling where exactly it ends up.

For example, a company that is getting paid to recycle waste may dump it, put it in landfills or fail to sort items properly meaning not all aluminum and materials find their way into the scrap metal industry. 

“We want to move forward towards a circular economy where waste is valued as a resource and reused,” said Environment Minister Thérèse Coffey.

To try and solve the problem, the U.K. government has awarded a £400,000 ($682,000) contract to a tech company to devise solutions to this problem and track garbage from residents’ hands all the way to the recycling facility. 

Only when this is achieved can officials find the true value of recycling different materials. 

Reliable collections 

But tracking garbage isn’t just about stopping waste criminals dumping it - it’s about making sure it’s collected in the first place.

In Bengaluru, a city of 8 million people in India, trucks are being fitted with radio frequency identification to monitor them.

The move is designed to ensure no street is missed, with residents even able to track when the vehicle is coming near their home on their phones. 

And just to make sure nobody is left out or any garden still has rubbish outside it, the driver has to scan a QR code after they have collected it. 

A country as vast as India has various problems to overcome in different areas and in Goa, which has many beaches and beautiful locations, a black spot app is being used to make sure none are tainted.

This ensures that problem areas or anywhere lots of garbage builds up in can be identified and action taken. 

It is also important that services are effective in Mumbai - a city of 18 million people - with vehicles there fitted with devices that allows a GPS tracking system to follow them. 

Saving residents money 

Tracking waste isn’t just a process that starts when garbage is picked up by a collection truck - it can begin in your kitchen when you decide what to put out. 

This is the case in Calgary, where a novel scheme has started with identification chips placed on black bags to track what is thrown away by residents.

The pay as you throw initiative is aimed at making people more aware of what they chuck out, with financial incentives and lower bills offered for those who create less garbage.

A database and billing system could cost $1.1m but because no other North American city has a comparable program, there is no template for officials to follow in devising it.

So this could be pioneering and if successful be replicated around Canada and the world. 

The council will talk to Calgarians and report back on how it’s gone in 2021.

While most people have never been interested in where their garbage goes when they throw it out, new technology and moves to create a greener planet mean we can keep a closer eye on it.

When did the metal recycling industry start?

A discovery off Israel’s coast illustrates how the metal recycling industry dates back more than 1,600 years to Roman times.

Onboard a shipwreck found by divers in 2016 were metal statues of a sun god, moon goddess and whale along with other figurines and coins.

The significance of this find to archeologists was that bronze artifacts from this era are rarely found. 

That is because the Romans melted down their statues to make new items and if this garbage boat had not sunk in a storm, these would have been recycled as well.

Greeks and Romans 

The fact companies such as Richmond Steel Recycling have been reusing metal since the 1970s might have led some people to think the metal recycling industry is relatively new. 

But as a valuable resource that can be used over and over, the material has been put to new uses for centuries - this was particularly the case when coins bearing the face of a Roman emperor were melted to create new ones with the image of his successor.

In fact, the concept of reusing old items has been with us since the times of Ancient Greece - and often it happened when a raw material vital to a cause were in short supply.

During the American Revolutionary War in 1776, leaders such as George Washington and Paul Revere urged patriots to reuse items such as old chains and iron kettles, melting them down for armaments. 

Musket balls

Some of their acts were quite symbolic, for example, a gilded statue of King George III was torn down in Lower Manhattan. 

This then created 42,000 musket balls used to fight his British army.

But perhaps the first use of recycling as we know it today came in 1890, at a time when incineration was becoming more popular as a way of getting rid of rubbish. 

Founder of The Salvation Army William Booth was one of the first people to see it as a way of providing food, shelter and employment for people in need. 

He began setting up waste salvation centres around London which helped the poorer classes, who went around collecting junk from the city and recycling it to make money.

Wartime waste 

It is during wartime, though, the metal recycling industry can become a key part of efforts - and its use can cut deep into society.

The book Waste into Weapons examined the situation in the U.K. during World War Two - and with a shortage of raw materials for munitions factories, millions of people were enlisted to collect scrap.

Many historical buildings and artifacts were destroyed to help the war economy, with the book detailing the great loss that occurred because of the need for new materials.

Similarly, in the USA, campaigns such as “Save scrap for Victory” saw metal artifacts melted down to make airplanes and ships.

Here in Canada, salvage committees were set up in every town and city in 1941, which coordinated efforts and collection drives.

By 1944, this was so successful that shortage were no more and moves to collect scrap metals, as well as rubber, bones and fats were stopped.

Salvage division 

As well as helping to make everyone feel part of the war effort it also showed what could be achieved when efforts are made to find substitutes for materials. 

The salvage division formed within the Department of National War Services in January 1941 was perhaps ahead of its time - with every country in the world now having a recycling division of some form.

In times of struggle, making the most of limited resources is always vital - and many Americans also survived the Great Depression in the 1930s by selling bits of scrap. 

More and more aluminum recycling facilities and scrap yards then started to appear throughout the 20th century. 

Earth Day 

But maybe the metal recycling industry as we know it today really does have its origins in the period around when Richmond Steel Recycling started operating.

Following environmental protests in the 1960s, Earth Day was the brainchild of US Senator Gaylord Nelson, and it aimed to raise awareness of green issues and our effect on the planet.

The first was held in 1970 and 12 months later, in a poll of Americans, 25% said protecting the world was an important goal - a 2,500% rise from 1969.

Earth Day has kept growing ever since and is marked annually by hundreds of millions of people around the globe. 

While the growth of Richmond Steel Recycling hasn’t been quite as dramatic in the past 48 years, the company is still proud to play its part in conserving the planet’s resources.

Demolition waste: Recycling some of our buildings

Montreal’s Seville Theatre once hosted Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra, but like other once-great buildings, such as the old Toronto Star headquarters and Laurentian Hotel in Quebec, it became nothing more than demolition waste.

In the past year, the once revolutionary Empire Landmark Hotel has also disappeared after dominating the Vancouver skyline since 1973  – it is one of the tallest building in Vancouver to be knocked down, it had a revolving top floor restaurant, provided thousands of tons of concrete, steel, wood and other materials to be recycled.

But what happens when we decide to knock some of our buildings down?

According to Statistics Canada data, Construction, Renovation and Demolition (CRD) waste accounts for about 12% of all solid waste generated in Canada – so, while it’s not as significant as the total volume of other streams such as household garbage, large amounts can come from single projects.

And there are various estimates of how much scrap metal there is in demolition waste – with the UK-based Waste and Resources Action Programme saying the main components in structures ranging from homes to garages, to office blocks and skyscrapers can be about 59% concrete, 7% timber and 10% metal.

Once you’ve knocked the building down, sorting all these for recycling isn’t easy, especially if there is the lure of landfill – which is why local and regional governments are putting laws in place to stop companies, developers and homeowners taking this easy option.

One of the leaders has been the City of Port Moody which brought in a law in 2011 stating that anyone applying for a construction and demolition permit must recycle at least 70% of the waste created from it by the end of the project.

By only giving back deposits to managers who achieved this, it had a diversion rate of 84% of these materials from landfill two years later.

Others have followed, including Vancouver, which has ambitious plans for zero waste by 2040 and sees demolition as a key target area in achieving this.

Its Green Demolition Bylaw has been extended to cover most types of homes, with different requirements for properties depending on their age and how big they are.

 A 2018 report stated about 10,000 tons were being diverted from landfills and incinerators a year - with the average diversion rate from pre-1940s homes being 86% and between 40% and 50% for traditional residentials.

Richmond Steel Recycling is one of the companies that gives a new lease of life to metals found in demolition waste – which includes copper used in pipes and electrical cables, steel from structural components and stainless steel in sinks.

Legislation is crucial to ensuring materials are salvaged and dealt with correctly as is evidenced by directives in Europe.

Construction and demolition makes up between 25% and 30% of all waste generated in the European Union, with the level of recovery and recycling varying greatly – from below 10% to more than 90% in its member states.

The EU warned that if it is not separated at source, it can contain hazardous waste “the mixture of which can pose particular risks to the environment and can hamper recycling”.

Many people will have fond memories of places like the old Seville Theatre in Montreal, which was built in 1929, and hosted Sammy Davis Jr, Louis Armstrong and a two-year run of The Sound of Music in the 1960s – but it shut in 1985, fell into disrepair and was demolished in 2010, with a condo now standing in its place.

Time catches up with many structures and a theatre of a very different kind was also turned to demolition waste this year.

Sporting theatre Allianz Park in Sydney, Australia, was a field of dreams that was built in 1988 and hosted 45,000 fans to watch major sporting and music events.

But after much protest and legal challenges, Michael Buble was the last person to perform there in October 2018, and it has been reduced to rubble, with plans to build a new modern venue on the site.

Not all threatened buildings end up on the scrap heap, though, thanks to the work of organizations such as the National Trust for Canada.

It says it Top 10 Endangered Places List “has become a powerful tool in the fight to save places that matter”, focusing on those used for worship, social centres, schools and other buildings that hold significant history and memories.