(57) A method and apparatus is disclosed for the safe removal of asbestos-containing materials present in buildings in the form of ceiling or wall panels and the like. The apparatus includes a panel-sized containment bin (10) which includes rotary saws (12) that extend outward therefrom to cut loose the asbestos-containing materials. A protective surfactant is first applied to the material to be removed, and the material is then sawed into conveniently sized panels using slow-speed cutting heads and both primary and secondary negative air pressure systems so as to capture within the containment bin (10) any asbestos fibers that become airborne. An encapsulant is also applied to the materials being removed immediately after cutting. The invention may be used for both vertical or horizontal panel installations. The apparatus is mobile and self-propelled, and may be remotely operated to give additional operator safety. The invention when in use has limited the production of residual airborne asbestos fibers to an average of 0.0032 fibers/cc, of fibers over 5 microns long and having an aspect ratio of 3:1, the range of such fiber counts over 15 measurements being 0.0024-0.0047 fibers/cc with a standard deviation of 0.00096.