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If your roof was constructed between 1930 and 1970, there’s a possibility that the shingles contain asbestos. If that’s the case, you should hire a professional for repairs and replacement, as they’ll have the necessary equipment to stay safe from such a hazardous and cancer-causing substance. If your home was constructed after this period, it’s unlikely that the shingles in place are toxic. In most cases, asbestos shingles are not recyclable, while standard asphalt shingles are recyclable.

No, you can’t place hazardous waste in a dumpster unless you specifically ordered a dumpster for hazardous waste removal. If the dumpster company finds hazardous waste that it didn’t approve for dumping, the company will return the waste to you, and you’ll likely face a fine for illegal dumping.

You can paint over lead paint, or “encapsulate” it with a special paint that includes an ingredient called an encapsulant. The EPA approves encapsulation as a lead paint removal method as long as the paint remains undisturbed. Standard types of paint without an “encapsulant” from the big box stores or hardware stores do not meet EPA standards for remediation of lead-based paint.

Lead toxicity comes from inhaling lead or consuming it. Before the 1980s, when the government banned lead from consumer use, it could be found in paint, plumbing, pipes, ceramics, and even gasoline. Lead paint is toxic for the same reason lead itself is toxic, which is why lead poisoning from paint presents the same as lead poisoning from water or food sources, with a slight increase in respiratory symptoms vs. digestive symptoms. Lead paint is most dangerous when it’s old and peeling, cracking, or otherwise disturbed. This increases the concentration in the air and, therefore, in breathable air.