All buildings built prior to 1990 must have a hazardous materials report completed before major renovations or demolition.  A technician arrives, cuts samples of various bits of the house, and has them analyzed for lead (paint), asbestos (flooring and insulation), and other nasties like vermiculite (roof).  These materials requires special handling during removal and at the dump, typically with a hazmat team.  Between 1930 and 1990, asbestos was used in a wide variety of building products since it was strong, durable and fireproof.  Unfortunately, it was determined that the fibres are highly carcinogenic.

As expected, we had some older linoleum with asbestos.   We had run into this previously, in the bathroom, which resulted in a Hazmat company arriving, sealing everything up, rushing around very importantly, and speaking in grave tones about the process.  Very expensive, but part of an insurance claim so everybody was padding their bills quite happily.  (As you can see, I have abandoned my New Years’ Resolution to avoid cynicism, I’m simply a pragmatic realist.)  So, with instructions from the remediation assessor,  I peeled off the flooring by myself, after ordering a special suit that I think I look quite dashing in and also a special air mask.