Services

Asbestos Abatement

Once thought to be the best mineral ingredient in many building products has turned out to be a dangerous one. Asbestos is a natural mineral that was mined for many years for its excellent construction material properties.

Asbestos can commonly be found as an ingredient in:

• stucco and texture coating
• mechanical pipe insulation
• boiler insulation
• Flooring – tiles (9” x 9” and 12” x 12”) and sheet goods
• drywall joint compound
• plaster
• ceiling tiles
• vermiculite insulation
• transite sheeting
• roofing and siding

Airborne asbestos fibers have been proven to cause respiratory diseases such as lung cancer, asbestosis and mesothelioma in those with repeated exposure to it.

Ontario law (Ontario Regulation 278/05) states that prior to demolition or renovation work that will alter materials containing asbestos, the materials must be properly removed and disposed of by those trained and experienced to do so.

Our professional services include:

• Type 1, 2 and 3 abatement
• Type 2 Glove Bag abatement
• Repairs and encapsulation
• HVAC filter replacement
• Pick-up and disposal service
• Confined space entry
• Re-insulation and restoration

Biohazard & Trauma / Crime Scene Decontamination

Unfortunate events and accidents can leave a family or property manager with a clean-up that is beyond their abilities and also their emotional capacity. Crime and trauma scenes can contain disturbing details that are better suited for a professional company to handle.

The health hazards involved in cleaning up blood-borne pathogens and sharps (needles) make this very high risk work and should be left to the professionals. In addition to typical bacteria found in unsanitary locations, body fluids and sharps can host virus’ such as HIV and Hepatitis, some of which remain viable even long after an incident. These scenes must have a safe work procedures developed and be treated with respect.

Zero Environmental can safely, quickly and professionally handle:

• Blood and body fluid clean-up
• Needle recovery
• Bird, bat and rodent droppings
• Facility disinfection
• Sewage remediation
• Odour mitigation
• Confined space entry
• Medical waste disposal

Building Services

As the exterior envelope and interior plumbing of a building deteriorate there can be unexpected problems such as foundation cracks, slow leaks, and sudden flooding. Other environmental elements such as wind damage and ice damming can dramatically affect the integrity of a building envelope and cause water to penetrate the interior of a building. From the moment this begins a race against the clock ensues to prevent further damage and mould growth from beginning.

Because mould can develop on wet materials as early as within a few days from the occurrence, it is important to have a IICRC professional locate the paths of moisture and implement a drying plan.

Typically in these events large air movers and dehumidifiers are placed in the affected areas to facilitate evaporation. When the source of the water contains bacteria all the porous materials such as carpet, drywall and insulation must be removed, while remaining non-porous materials such as concrete must be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected.

Services performed by the IICRC professionals at Zero include:

• Water extraction and structural drying
• Moisture mapping and humidity readings
• Thermal Imaging building scans
• Foundation crack locating and water-proofing injection
• Restoration of damaged building materials
• Staff certified with IICRC (The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification)

Cleaning & Blasting

Our clients can encounter cleaning requirements at their facilities that may be beyond the capabilities of their own staff or cleaning contractors, or require specialized equipment. Certain projects can include challenges such as working at heights or require specialized cleaning techniques. Zero fills in the gap by performing this specialized service with quality and safety as the top priorities.

We have the following capabilities:

• Dry ice blasting
• Sand and media blasting
• Pressure washing
• Paint and stain removal
• High level cleaning in factories and production facilities
• Hoarder clean-up and disposal service
• Odour mitigation

Infection Control

Our healthcare facilities should be an environment where we feel safe and secure. Improper construction controls and procedures can cause airborne dust, mould and bacteria to enter patient areas and ventilation systems and cause harm to the immune-compromised. Air tight barriers, negative air pressure systems and worker cleanliness are necessities when performing work in healthcare environments and other facilities with immune-compromised patients.

Zero Environmental has CSA Z317.13-07 standard trained staff and ensure even the smallest details are accounted for in this high-risk work. Whether it be the removal of hazardous materials or a renovation, each project in a healthcare facility will have a customized infection prevention and control plan developed based on the work being performed and the type of patient area.

Services include:

• Following procedures outlined in CSA Z317.13-07
• Air and dust barriers, temporary hoarding walls and HEPA-filtered negative air systems designed to contain construction activities, hazardous material abatement and minor or major invasive work
• Worker decontamination facilities
• Post-construction detailed cleaning and sanitization
• In-place protection of biomedical equipment and instruments
• HVAC isolation, cleaning, disinfection and filter replacement
• Confined space entry

Mould Remediation

When building materials become impacted by water or excessive humidity the resulting damage can be more than cosmetic. Given the right conditions, mould growth can flourish in many of the construction materials that today’s homes, workplaces and institutions are built from. Amplified mould in indoor environments has been linked to adverse health effects in occupants, particularly those who are immune-compromised. Higher risk groups include young children, the elderly, pregnant women, those with respiratory illness and asthma and those immune-compromised from other illness or conditions.

A proactive approach involving building envelope maintenance and control of moisture and humidity inside are essential in preventing mould growth from developing. If discovered however, mould should be professionally removed in a timely manner in order to prevent adverse health effects in the building occupants and the spread of contamination throughout the building.

In Ontario, the Environmental Abatement Council of Ontario (EACO) has developed guidelines for the safe removal of any amount of mould. Unprofessional handling of mould can needlessly put occupants at risk of exposure and spread contamination to adjacent areas.

A mould abatement contractor should be a member of EACO, have relevant experience and be insured for performing the work. Zero will conduct a thorough assessment of the cause and develop a safe abatement plan and a future prevention strategy.

Zero is experienced in the following:

• EACO Level 1, 2 and 3 removal operations
• Contents decontamination and restoration
• Investigation and reporting of cause and prevention
• Building thermal imaging scans
• Invasive and non-invasive moisture testing of building materials
• Marijuana grow-op remediation
• Dry ice blasting
• Structural drying
• Odour mitigation
• Building envelope repairs
• Confined space entry

Radon Mitigation

Radon is an invisible, odourless and radioactive gas which is naturally occurring in our environment. It is a decay product of uranium, and will naturally move through the soil and come to the earth’s surface. In most cases it is immediately diluted by the air in the environment to a negligible amount, however when a home or building is constructed the radon gas can then seep into the structure through the concrete floor slab or crawl space earth floor and accumulate to dangerous levels.

During the heating season a home or building can have what is known as a ‘stack effect’ where most windows and doors are closed and the lowest level can have a vacuum effect, thereby drawing in the radon in higher levels than in warmer months.

“Radon is the number two cause of lung cancer in Canada, with 16% of all cases being attributed to the gas. For non-smokers, it is the leading cause of lung cancer.”

Testing for radon is simple and inexpensive. A certified radon measurement professional can deploy a test in your home or building and determine if the radon levels are safe or if a mitigation system is required.

Health Canada recommends only long-term testing which is a minimum of 91 days, and states that a home or building should have a radon mitigation system installed if radon levels are higher than 200 bq/m. Mitigation systems in simple terms create suction under the basement floor slab, thereby drawing in the radon gas before it has a chance to enter the structure, and expels it to the outdoor environment.

Most residential systems can be installed in one day and require no maintenance for many years.