Jakela Environmental Services, Inc.

Our services focus on assisting you in maintaining a healthy, clean and safe environment for your project. Our services include, but are not limited to the following:

Asbestos Abatement

Asbestos abatement controls the fibers released from material containing asbestos. The primary procedures used include encapsulation, encasement or removal. We are a licensed expert in such procedures and can assess and assist you with any project.

Asbestos is a strong and fireproof silicate-mineral fiber that becomes brittle with age, and pollutes air and water as extremely fine particles that can cause serious illnesses (such as “asbestosis”) and cancer (such as mesothelioma.) Undisturbed, asbestos does not pose a threat. It is always best to assess your particular situation.

Prior to the awareness of it’s toxicity, asbestos was very popular due to its fire- and rot-resistant properties. It was used in many applications, such as acoustic ceiling tiles, insulation, patching compounds, roofing shingles, texture paints, vinyl flooring, theater curtains, and some appliances, such as irons. If you are unsure of your situation, we will be happy to have our experts work with you to plan a safe abatement procedure.

Lead Based Paint Removal

Lead-based paint removal is the process of containing the lead dust created by disturbing the paint. The containment requires the setup of dust containment apparatuses, including sealing off doorways and HVAC dusts with plastic. We maintain a lead-safe certificate, which provides you with the confidence that we are using up-to-date techniques required by law.

Lead is considered to be a harmful environmental pollutant and old lead-based paint is the most significant source of lead exposure in the US. Most homes built before 1960 contain heavily leaded paint, and some homes built as recently as 1978 may also contain lead paint.

We maintain a lead-safe certification and are equipped to assist you in your renovations. Effective April 22, 2010, any renovation, repair and painting project that disturbs lead-based coatings (including paint, shellac or varnish) in child-occupied facilities built before 1978 must be certified and must follow specific work practices to prevent lead contamination. These EPA rules were established to minimize the creation of hazardous lead dust.

Mold Removal

Mold growth in buildings can lead to a variety of health problems. The most common areas of moderate the severe mold is water damage and vents. Mold remediation is the removal, cleaning, sanitizing, demolition, or other treatment, including preventive activities, of mold or mold-contaminated matter that was not purposely grown at that location.

Removing mold can be a potentially hazardous task. Disturbing mold releases thousands of mold spores into the air. Both airways and the skin should be protected from spores at all times. In cases of moderate to severe mold infestation, professional remediation is usually the best option. Specialists use special tools and/or methods, such as wet vacuums, damp wipes or HEPA vacuums. We are specialists in this field. Feel free to contact us to assess your project.

Heavy Metals Decontamination

A heavy metal is any metal or metalloid of environmental concern. The tem originated with reference to the harmful effects of cadmium, mercury and lead, all of which are denser than iron. It has since been applied to any other similarly toxic metal, of metalloid such as arsenic, regardless of density. Commonly encountered heavy metals are chromium, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, arsenic, selenium, silver, cadmium, antimony, mercury, thallium and lead. We are certified to handle any situation you may have. Have our experts help you assess and plan.

Heavy metals are found naturally in the earth, and become concentrated as a result of human caused activities. Common sources are from mining and industrial wastes, vehicle emissions, lead – acid batteries, fertilisers, paints and treated woods. Lead is the most prevalent heavy metal contaminant.

Soils contaminated by heavy metals can be remediated by one or more of the following technologies: isolation; immobilization; toxicity reduction; physical separation; or extraction. Isolation involves the use of caps, membranes or below-ground barriers in an attempt to quarantine the contaminated soil. Immobilization aims to alter the properties of the soil so as to hinder the mobility of the heavy contaminants. Toxicity reduction attempts to oxidise or reduce the heavy metal ions, via chemical or biological means into less toxic or mobile forms. Physical separation involves the removal of the contaminated soil and the separation of the metal contaminants by mechanical means. Extraction is an on or off-site process that uses chemicals, high-temperature volatization, or electrolysis to extract contaminants from soils. The process or processes used will vary according to contaminant and the characteristics of the site.

Hydrocarbon Soil Remediation

Due to the diversity of TPH compounds a range of remediation technologies may be applicable. If an ex-situ approach can be applied then the most common solution is Ex-situ bioremediation.

However there may be instances where other techniques may be considered such as soil washing or thermal desorption as examples. For LNAPL impacted sites recommended solutions include Steam Enhanced Remediation (SER) and Dual Phase Vacuum Extraction (DPVE).

For dissolved phase contamination methods include SER, DPVE, Chemical Oxidation, Air Sparge/Vacuum Extraction, In-situ Bioremediation, Reactive Barriers.

We are certified in Hazardous Material Removal and are prepared to deal with any project you may have.

PCB Remediation

There are legal requirements for the remediation of PCB’s. We maintain a certification in Hazardous Waste Removal to ensure that we are your subject matter experts of any situation you may have. Let us help you determine the best course of action for your situation.

PCBs belong to a broad family of man-made organic chemicals known as chlorinated hydrocarbons. PCBs were domestically manufactured from 1929 until their manufacture was banned in 1979. They have a range of toxicity and vary in consistency from thin, light-colored liquids to yellow or black waxy solids. Due to their non-flammability, chemical stability, high boiling point, and electrical insulating properties, PCBs were used in hundreds of industrial and commercial applications including electrical, heat transfer, and hydraulic equipment; as plasticizers in paints, plastics, and rubber products; in pigments, dyes, and carbonless copy paper; and many other industrial applications.

Although no longer commercially produced in the United States, PCBs may be present in products and materials produced before the 1979 PCB ban. Products that may contain PCBs include:

• Transformers and capacitors
• Other electrical equipment including voltage regulators, switches, reclosers, bushings, and electromagnets
• Oil used in motors and hydraulic systems
• Old electrical devices or appliances containing PCB capacitors
• Fluorescent light ballasts
• Cable insulation
• Thermal insulation material including fiberglass, felt, foam, and cork
• Adhesives and tapes
• Oil-based paint
• Caulking
• Plastics
• Carbonless copy paper
• Floor finish

Today PCBs can still be released into the environment from poorly maintained hazardous waste sites that contain PCBs; illegal or improper dumping of PCB wastes; leaks or releases from electrical transformers containing PCBs; and disposal of PCB-containing consumer products into municipal or other landfills not designed to handle hazardous waste. PCBs may also be released into the environment by the burning of some wastes in municipal and industrial incinerators. Once in the environment, PCBs do not readily break down and therefore may remain for long periods of time cycling between air, water, and soil.

PCBs have been demonstrated to cause cancer, as well as a variety of other adverse health effects on the immune system, reproductive system, nervous system, and endocrine system.