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MG MGB Technical - Safety advice

Hi,
I've removed the carbs from my 78B to have them rebuilt. At the same time I'm having the inlet manifold looked at so in the process I removed everything including the heatshield which I thought could do with either cleaning up or replacement.
Now I've been looking through the parts catalogue and it struck me that my heatshield is asbestos.
Hopefully enough oil and grime have covered it so no chance any of those nasty fibres are floating around, but I'm still worried. At the moment it is sitting on the bench and I feel like I should put on a hazmat suit before going anywhere near it.
Already made the decision NOT to clean it and to simply replace it. What should I do about disposing of the old one? Call a specialist?
Regards,
Dave
D O'Brien

Dave - As long as the heat shields are intact and you don't drill, saw ,file or otherwise abrade the asbestos, there is not much danger from it. Put them in a plastic bag and seal the bag, then put the bagged heat shield in another plastic bag. Call your disposal company and ask what hoop you have to jump through to get rid of the heat shield. Cheers - Dave
D W DuBois

Dave
Check with your local council - most will have a disposal area for asbestos.
I donned safety gear, carefully drilled out the rivets and disposed of the asbestos. I was able to find a suitable heatproof woven mat that was safe and looked the same as the original
John
John Minchin

Are you guys serious?

I mean don't drill it or wear it or eat it or use it on your filtration mask.

Its the fibers that kill ya!

You would probably get more contamination from just taking your back brake drums off one time!

If the heat shield turned to dust form in front of you worry. If it hasn't done that you will survive!

I would just toss it in the trash. There's not enough there to kill ya!

You were right to post though...It never hurts to ask but remember you are only getting opinions. Do what you think is right! Good luck!

:-)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqVzuVlYxms
Steven Devine

Steve
I agree I hate to think how many truck brakes we blew out clean with a airhose years ago before everyone became aware of the stuff
There are monsterous fines here now for improper disposal of asbestos
It has to be double wrapped in plastic and local garbage joints usually have a seperate bin to dispose of it in
I suspect that they then take it and chuck it in the same hole as the rest of the trash but nicely wrapped
Dave
I usually throw them in the kero pot and clean them up wet no fibres will get you doing that then when the kero dries off the outside refit the thing back where it was and forget it
willy
William Revit

perhaps if you'd seen someone wither away to death you might be more cautious, it ain't a pleasant death for the victim or the family and friends

the effects can take 40 years plus to emerge so don't be complacent (especially if you were once one of the younger people routinely exposed in the distant past)

"Asbestos is responsible for over 4500 deaths (in UK?) every year. Younger people, if routinely exposed to asbestos fibres over time, are at greater risk of developing asbestos-related disease than older workers. This is due to the time it takes for the body to develop symptoms after exposure to asbestos (latency). Exposure to asbestos can cause four main diseases:

. Mesothelioma (a cancer of the lining of the lungs; it is always fatal and is almost exclusively caused by exposure to asbestos)

. Asbestos-related lung cancer (which is almost always fatal)

. Asbestosis (a scarring of the lungs which is not always fatal but can be a very debilitating disease, greatly affecting quality of life)

. Diffuse pleural thickening (a thickening of the membrane surrounding the lungs which can restrict lung expansion leading to breathlessness.)"

source (UK?) HSE - http://www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos/faq.htm
Nigel Atkins

It doesn't cost much ($ or time) to be careful. And don't forget we will eventually pass our cars on to others who may or may not be aware of the potential for harm. If we can eliminate the hazard, then we should do it.
Lots of us have been lucky so far, but I prefer to make my own luck!
John Minchin

OK guys
Too much info too late is the norm with this sort of thing as you know
I still reckon a carby heatshield sitting on the bench isn't really going to jump up and get you is it
There are more poisons in that unleaded petrol you got all over you pulling the carbs apart did yhat worry you breathing that I ask
Do you drive around with a mask following all them MG's without cats on them running unleaded fuel spewing crap everywhere , I can bet the answer is no
willy
William Revit

Willy,
no the carb shield in itself probably won't do anything but double bagging it and taking it to the local council isn't hard work so why not

you're lucky there's no point you worrying about such things as cleaning out those truck brakes would probably have given you it if you're going to get it :)
Nigel Atkins

Nigel
I agree , double plastic bag wrap and hand it over is the way to go for asbestos disposal NOW and that is the law here now but as you know it hasn't always been like that
Yes, I'm lucky I seem to have dodged the asbestosis bullet so far at least but I've seen it up real close so there's no real need to reinform me of the danger of the sh*t
A few mates work/worked at our local cement works where they used to manually empty bags of raw asbestos into the hopper to mix with cement to make asbestos cement sheet - a risky business that thankfully doesn't happen anymore

Over and out willy
William Revit

"the effects can take 40 years plus to emerge"

40 plus years ago I worked for the GPO (BT) in telephone exchanges where holes in walls and ceilings for cables were fire-stopped with woven asbestos bags filled with asbestos fibre. One of the fun and frolics we used to have from time to time was to have asbestos bag fights where we threw them at each other. I'm not sure which was the more dangerous - throwing them or being hit on the head by one.
Paul Hunt

Dave

I understand your concern, but the risk is very low. I oversee the safety for asbestos removal. For something like the heat shield, you just need to wet it so it does not flake off. wet it and slow drill the rivets, put it in a plastic bag and dispose of it per your country or area regulations. In the US, it can normally go into a standard landfill.

Asbestos is found in serpentine rock. This is very common here in the US. Unsure if it is in other countries. I can guarantee that if you have worked on brakes or clutches of cars more that 15 years old, or worked in a car garage, you have been exposed.

Most people diagnosed with asbestosis (the presence of asbestos fibers in the lung) never develop any issues.

Mesothelioma is very rare and normally is only found in persons with prolonged exposure to asbestos and have a secondary irritant, such as smoking.

Here is a material sold for soldering that works well as a replacement for the heat shield. http://homesplumbingsupply.com/shop/soldering-heat-shield/

PS. My father is 89 and going strong. He was a cook on the submarines in WWII and Korea. He tells stories of putting canned goods in every nook and cranny on the subs and having to blow the asbestos powder off before opening the can.
Bruce Cunha

This thread was discussed between 01/08/2014 and 06/08/2014

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