Cob: natural remodel

[Theodore L. Stacy]

Seal as in EPA standards for encapsulation.  Barrier must be solid and
capable of keeping those pesky fibers in.  Maybe take a gander at the EPA
website and search for asbestos encapsulation.  Plaster would seal it up
well, I think, as would a thick cob.  The object is to make the surface non
friable.  Really heavy paint might do.  Those hard shingles on the sides of
many old houses are asbestos but the base material keeps the fibers in place
so they are not considered hazardous.  Old hard floor tiles are also
asbestos containing.  The problem is with asbestos that becomes flaky and
can become airborne.  The micro fibers can then be inhaled and cause serious
health problems.  Smokers are 25 x more likely to get the rare cancer
mesothelioma when exposed to asbestos than are non smokers.

On a legal note, if the fiberous material is asbestos, you might have a
legal cause of action against the previous owners who sold you the house if
they knew or should have known it and did not tell you.

If you do seal up the old material, it does not really present any health
problem.  The key to it all is "sealed".  You go to the gas station to by
gas for the car.  Gasoline is very hazardous and contains cancer causing
chemicals.  If the gasoline is sealed in the ground tank and then in the car
tank, it is not presenting a health risk from inhalation.  Same with most
hazardous substances.  Keep them in their place and they are not a hazard.
Just make sure the storage container does the containment job.  TLS