surreywaste.info

Asbestos in the Home

In Surrey householders can take up to six sheets of asbestos cement to one of the following Transfer stations:

These are the only sites that can accept asbestos cement material. A specialist company must deal with any other form of asbestos. Please telephone the site prior to your journey to inform them of your delivery and to find out whether they have enough room in the special asbestos container. Read on to find out how to deal with asbestos waste in general.

Introduction

Today no building materials are allowed to contain asbestos material. However, if your property was built before the mid 80s, it is possible that it contains asbestos materials in some form.

People are at risk from asbestos containing material if it is in poor condition, gets damaged or is disturbed so that fibres are released in any way.   If you carry out DIY on asbestos products, you may be putting yourself in danger.

You cannot determine whether a material contains asbestos by visual inspection. If in doubt leave well alone and seek expert advice (companies specialising in asbestos surveying, sampling, monitoring and removal are listed in the telephone directory).

Where was asbestos used?

Asbestos was used in building materials principally to provide cheap thermal insulation and fire protection. It was also used as a filler material in a wide range of building products.   Asbestos was used in all sorts of materials. The following list is not complete and should only be used as a guide:

  • Asbestos lagging;
  • Loose asbestos filling;
  • Sprayed asbestos as used for protecting structural steelwork and for insulation.   It may be found in steel framed houses built before the mid-1970s;
  • Asbestos insulating board used for fire protection, heat insulation, ceiling tiles and as a building board;
  • Some floor tiles;
  • Various asbestos cement products

If your home is rented, your landlord is responsible for asbestos and may have relevant information.

What to do if you suspect you have Asbestos in your home

  • The general rule is to always leave asbestos alone, it's usually safe unless it's damaged or disturbed;
  • Paint indoor materials with an alkali resistant paint such as PVA emulsion, and never sand, drill or saw asbestos materials;
  • Always seek advice before thinking of removing asbestos.   Do not attempt to remove asbestos lagging, spray coatings or insulation board by yourself as these materials can only be safely removed by a specialist contractor who is licensed to remove asbestos;
  • Sometimes it will be necessary to pay for a sample to be taken to identify if asbestos is present and of what type.

Asbestos Cement

Compressed asbestos cement was used in various products such as garage and shed roofs and wall coverings; cold water tanks, external rainwater pipes, roof slates, guttering, decking, lining under eaves and flue pipes. It was also used in drainage pipes and wall and roof covering materials. These products normally contain between 10% and 15% asbestos

Safe Removal of Asbestos Cement

A specialist contractor should be engaged where significant amounts of asbestos cement products are to be removed.

Small amounts of asbestos cement products can be removed on a DIY basis but if you are concerned at all about it's removal you should contact a specialist removal company to carry out the work. You can find such companies listed in your local Yellow Pages. In order to be compliant with 'Household Waste - Durty of Care Regulations 2005' when employing a suitable contractor/builder you must ensure that the company is registered with the Environment Agency (EA) as ca waste carrier. You can check the validity of this registration by searching through the EA's Public Registers.

If you wish to remove asbestos cement yourself we offer the following advice:

  • Don't unless you have to;
  • Prepare the work area - remove any unnecessary items, cover the floor and surfaces with disposable polythene sheeting;
  • Keep other people away and don't eat, drink or smoke in the work area;
  • Wear protective clothing:
    • disposable overall with hood (wear legs over footwear)
    • disposable facemask approved for use with asbestos (follow user instructions carefully)
    • rubber or disposable gloves
    • footwear that can be easily cleaned e.g. Wellingtons
  • Damp down the material by using a plant sprayer or a hosepipe with a fine spray - don't soak the area, as this will make cleaning up more difficult;
  • Remove the asbestos carefully without breaking it up , wrap in strong polythene sheeting or bags as you go (don't let it pile up) and seal with tape;
  • Visually inspect the area and clear up any debris by hand - wipe down with disposable damp cloths (don't re-soak or reuse cloths). Never use a vacuum cleaner as this will just spread dust around;
  • Place contaminated cloths, polythene sheeting and protective clothing in a strong polythene bag while they are still damp and seal the bag with tape. Dispose of these as asbestos waste.

Wash thoroughly after the job is completed, especially the hands and face.

Disposal of Asbestos Cement waste

If you have asbestos cement material and need to dispose of it you may take up to six sheets to one of the three community recycling centres listed above. What we will accept:

  • Corrugated or flat sheets
  • Cold water tanks  
  • Rainwater pipes and gutters
  • Flue Pipes
  • Roofing tiles
  • Floor tiles

We can accept asbestos cement materials only.   A specialist company must deal with any other form of asbestos.

If as a householder, you intend to transport asbestos cement waste in your own vehicle, you do not need to be a registered carrier providing it is your own waste. However, you should take the following steps to ensure that asbestos does not contaminate your car:

  • Spray the asbestos cement with water;
  • Double wrap or double bag the asbestos cement with heavy duty polythene;
  • Ensure the wrapping is secured with tape;
  • Make sure vehicle occupants do not have access to the asbestos waste.

On arrival at the community recycling centre make sure the wrapping is still securely in place.   Inform a member of staff that you are bringing asbestos.   They will direct you to where you must deposit it.

Remember that you do have a legal responsibility to dispose of asbestos safely. The Environment Agency can and does prosecute fly tippers of asbestos materials

Asbestos Do's and Don'ts

  • Don't panic if you think you have asbestos in your home - it's usually only a problem if disturbed;
  • Do treat asbestos with respect;
  • Don't drill, saw or disturb materials that contain asbestos;
  • Do seek advice if you think you've got a problem with asbestos in your home.

 For more information about asbestos in general visit http://www.asbestoswatchdog.co.uk/