Removing asbestos is dangerous business and should only be undertaken by a well-trained and experienced technician who is duly certified.
Since safety is Job #1, occupants of the building where asbestos is found should vacate the premises temporarily while the asbestos is being removed. Occasionally it is even necessary to seal the entire building off from the outside so no air exchange takes place between the contaminated air within and the clean air outside.
Then a safe zone is created around where the asbestos is to be removed to prevent contamination of nearby areas. This zone is created with industrial strength Polyethylene film and tape used to seal off the area from the rest of the building. Negative air pressure machines are fitted with HEPA filters to prevent any more asbestos from being released into the area. (Special Class H vacuums designed for asbestos containment specifically are used during the removal process, as any other type of vacuum would expel asbestos into the air. )
Even when a building is scheduled for demolition, any asbestos contained within must be removed first before the teardown can proceed.
