PaintSquare News recently posted an article – Uncontained Blast Medium OK’d for Gulf Coast Project – about the use of Crushed Glass Grit to remove a vinyl coating on a concrete surface. The US Army Corps of Engineers approved the use of this medium for abrasive blasting without containment since the Crushed Glass Grit does not contain free silica or toxic chemicals.
The article does a nice job of explaining the project and what issues needed to be considered prior to approval. Safety of the workers and the area surrounding the project were of prime importance.
I think the most interesting part of the article is the long discussion in the comments section. Ultimately, there really is no other reasonable option than to blast the surfaces. While concerns are raised regarding issues with potential hazards in the coating and with blasting concrete, the best choice for this project (and others like it) is Crushed Glass Grit.