July 17, 2026

Asbestos Floor Tile Removal: How to Safely Remove, Dispose of, and Handle Asbestos Tiles

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Asbestos
Cancer
Unions & Trades
Philip J. Goodman

Legally Reviewed and Fact Checked by: Philip J. Goodman , Of Counsel

Published: July 17, 2026 · Last Updated: July 2026

If your home was built before 1980, there is a real chance that the vinyl or linoleum tiles beneath your feet contain asbestos. Disturbing them — even once — can release microscopic fibers that cause mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbestosis decades later.

At Serling & Abramson, P.C., we have represented asbestos exposure victims in Michigan since 1975. We know what this exposure does to people. This guide explains how to identify asbestos floor tiles, what to do the moment you find them, and what your legal rights are if you’ve already been exposed.

If you or a family member has been diagnosed with mesothelioma or another asbestos-related illness after exposure during a renovation project, contact our attorneys for a free case evaluation. There is no fee unless we win.

1. How to Identify Asbestos Floor Tiles

You cannot identify asbestos by looking at it. The only reliable confirmation is laboratory testing. That said, several characteristics should put you on alert before any removal begins.

Size is the first indicator. Asbestos-containing floor tiles were most commonly manufactured in 9×9-inch squares. If your home has 9×9 tiles — especially in a basement, kitchen, bathroom, or entryway — treat them as potentially containing asbestos until tested. 12×12 tiles manufactured before 1980 may also contain asbestos.

Age of the building matters most. Asbestos was widely used in floor tile manufacturing from the 1920s through the late 1970s. Federal restrictions effectively ended new asbestos flooring production around 1980, though some products remained on shelves until 1986. If your building was constructed or last renovated before 1980, asbestos floor tiles are a genuine possibility.

Other visual signs to watch for:

  • Tiles that feel brittle, show cracking at the edges, or have a chalky surface
  • Dark or black mastic adhesive beneath the tiles — this adhesive commonly contained asbestos itself
  • Multiple layers of old flooring — if there are two or more layers stacked, the lower layers are more likely to predate the asbestos phase-out
  • Manufacturer names on tile backs, including Armstrong World Industries, Kentile Floors, Congoleum, National Resilient Floor, GAF Corporation, or Azrock Industries — all known to have produced asbestos-containing floor tiles

Many of these manufacturers later faced extensive litigation and established asbestos bankruptcy trust funds to compensate victims. If you find tiles from these manufacturers, treat them as confirmed asbestos-containing materials requiring professional assessment.

2. Found Asbestos Tiles? Don’t Touch Them.

Once you suspect your floor tiles may contain asbestos, the advice is simple: stop, and call a licensed asbestos abatement professional.

This is not overcaution. Asbestos floor tiles that are left undisturbed pose minimal risk. The danger begins the moment they are disturbed — scraped, broken, drilled, sanded, or cut. Even a single removal event can release enough microscopic fibers to cause mesothelioma, a cancer with a 20-to-50-year latency period and no cure. By the time symptoms appear, the disease is typically at a late stage.

We are mesothelioma attorneys. We have sat across from clients who tore up a floor on a Saturday afternoon in the 1980s and were diagnosed with mesothelioma 30 years later. We are not in a position to tell you it is safe to attempt this yourself, because we have spent five decades watching what happens when people do.

The right steps when you find suspected asbestos tiles:

  1. Stop all work immediately. Do not scrape, cut, sand, sweep, or disturb the tiles in any way.
  2. Keep people and pets out of the area until the tiles have been tested and assessed by a professional.
  3. Do not attempt to test the tiles yourself. DIY test kits require you to take a sample — and the act of sampling can itself release fibers. Contact a licensed Michigan asbestos inspector to take samples safely.
  4. Call a licensed, insured asbestos abatement contractor. In Michigan, abatement contractors must be licensed through the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE). Verify any contractor’s license at Michigan.gov/EGLE before allowing them to begin work.
  5. Get everything in writing. A reputable contractor will provide a written scope of work, containment plan, disposal method, and air monitoring results after completion.

If your tiles are intact and in good condition, your abatement professional may recommend leaving them in place and encapsulating them beneath new flooring — which is often safer than removal because it eliminates the disturbance risk entirely. This is a decision for a licensed professional to make after a proper inspection, not something to determine on your own.

3. What to Do If You Accidentally Removed Asbestos Tiles

This is one of the most common situations we hear about — a homeowner or contractor removes old flooring without realizing it contained asbestos. If this has happened to you, act quickly.

Leave the area immediately. Do not sweep, vacuum, or attempt to clean up. Shut the door, seal any gaps with tape if possible, and turn off all fans and HVAC systems to prevent fiber distribution through the building. Keep everyone out.

Remove your clothing and shower. Asbestos fibers cling to fabric. Leave your shoes in the work area, bag the clothing you were wearing, and shower as soon as possible.

Call a licensed abatement contractor. Do not attempt cleanup yourself. A licensed professional has the air monitoring equipment, HEPA filtration systems, and clearance testing capabilities to confirm the space is safe before anyone re-enters.

Have the tiles tested. Even if you strongly suspect asbestos, confirmed laboratory results become critical documentation for your health records and any future legal claim.

See your doctor and document the exposure. Tell your physician what happened and ask for it to be noted in your medical record. A single exposure event is statistically less likely to cause disease than prolonged occupational exposure — but there is no guaranteed safe level of asbestos exposure. Having the incident documented protects you if symptoms develop years or decades from now.

Contact an attorney if the exposure happened on a property you don’t own. If you were a contractor, tenant, or worker exposed on someone else’s property, you may have legal rights against the property owner or the tile manufacturer. Serling & Abramson has handled cases involving accidental renovation exposure for 50 years. There is no fee unless we win.

4. Michigan Regulations for Asbestos Abatement

Michigan asbestos handling is regulated by EGLE under Michigan Part 56, alongside federal EPA NESHAP rules and OSHA worker protection standards. What you need to know:

Contractor licensing is required for asbestos removal in any commercial building or large residential project. Verify any contractor’s current license at Michigan.gov/EGLE before work begins.

Notification is required for projects involving more than 160 square feet of asbestos-containing material. Licensed contractors handle this as part of their process — it’s one more reason to use a professional rather than attempting removal yourself.

Disposal must go to permitted facilities. Asbestos waste cannot be placed in household trash or standard dumpsters. It must be properly packaged and transported to an EGLE-permitted disposal facility. A licensed contractor handles this as part of the job.

Disclosure is required when selling. Michigan law requires sellers to disclose known material defects. Asbestos-containing tiles in deteriorating condition, or tiles that have been previously disturbed, qualify. Even for intact tiles, disclosure is strongly advisable — buyers who discover undisclosed asbestos after purchase have grounds for legal action in Michigan.

5. Your Legal Rights After Asbestos Tile Exposure

If you were exposed to asbestos floor tiles — as a homeowner, flooring installer, construction worker, or building occupant — and have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma, lung cancer, or asbestosis, you may have substantial legal rights.

The manufacturers who produced asbestos-containing floor tiles, and continued selling them after the dangers were known internally, have faced decades of litigation. Many — including Armstrong World Industries, Kentile Floors, Congoleum, and others — established asbestos bankruptcy trust funds containing billions of dollars to compensate victims. An experienced attorney can identify every trust fund that applies to your case and file claims simultaneously, often without you ever needing to appear in court.

Who can file a claim:

  • Flooring installers, tile layers, and construction workers who handled asbestos floor tiles professionally
  • Homeowners and tenants present in buildings where asbestos tiles were disturbed during renovation
  • Workers who performed renovation work involving asbestos flooring
  • Family members secondarily exposed through contaminated clothing brought home by workers

Michigan statute of limitations: You have three years from the date of your mesothelioma or asbestos-related disease diagnosis to file a lawsuit in Michigan. This clock starts at diagnosis — not at the time of exposure. Because asbestos-related diseases have a latency period of 20 to 50 years, many people diagnosed today trace their exposure to work performed in the 1960s, 1970s, or 1980s.

If you have recently been diagnosed, contact an attorney immediately. Time matters.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it safe to leave asbestos floor tiles in place?

Often yes. Intact, non-friable asbestos tiles that are not cracked, crumbling, or deteriorating pose minimal risk when left undisturbed. The EPA often recommends encapsulation — installing new flooring over existing tiles — over removal. A licensed inspector can assess your specific situation.

Can I remove asbestos floor tiles myself?

Michigan law allows single-family homeowners to remove asbestos materials from their own residence in limited circumstances. We strongly advise against it. The risk of fiber release during removal is significant, and the consequences — mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis — are irreversible. Call a licensed abatement professional.

Are 9×9 floor tiles always asbestos?

Not always, but 9×9 tiles manufactured before 1980 have a high probability of containing asbestos. Treat them as suspect until a licensed inspector confirms otherwise.

What happens if a contractor disturbed asbestos tiles in my home without warning me?

If you were exposed to asbestos by a contractor who disturbed asbestos-containing materials without proper assessment, containment, or notification, you may have a legal claim. Contact us to understand your options.

How long after asbestos exposure does mesothelioma develop?

Typically 20 to 50 years. Many people diagnosed today trace their exposure to renovation work done decades ago. This is why documenting any known exposure event — no matter how long ago — matters.

What should I do if I’ve already been diagnosed with mesothelioma?

Contact Serling & Abramson immediately. Michigan’s statute of limitations is three years from your diagnosis date. We will identify every liable manufacturer and trust fund that applies to your case. There is no fee unless we win.

This article is provided for informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice. Laws regarding asbestos removal and disposal vary by jurisdiction. Consult a licensed asbestos professional before beginning any removal project, and consult a licensed attorney if you believe you have a legal claim related to asbestos exposure.