[glennaro]

You must be very careful scraping it off because it can very easily release asbestos fibers and create asbestos dust. As others have noted, it's the asbestos fibers and dust when inhaled into the lungs that is a real danger as it can result in asbestosis years later. Even wearing a particle mask won't protect you from the dust (just as it won't protect you from the Fauci Flu, for that matter).

From my five decades of environmental health and safety engineering experience, if I had to remove a textured ceiling I'd first have it tested for asbestos and, if asbestos is present, I would have it professionally removed, securely packaged and disposed at a licensed facility.

Although the use of asbestos, particularly in residences, was banned in 1980, there was a lot of asbestos materials in the material pipeline so it can be present in textured ceilings, vinyl tile and mastics in homes built years later. So, even if your home was built after 1980, it's a good idea to have a textured ceiling -- especially a "popcorn" ceiling -- tested for asbestos. You would take a small sample of the texture and send it to a lab licensed for asbestos testing ... only takes a few days to get the results.

I think it's best to avoid dealing with asbestos unless you really know what you're doing. Cheers!

[waterhill]

If it is that old, there is no scraping; you gut the place. Safety protocols in place.

These days, the popcorn is little balls of pearlite or something.

[nutmeg]

.