Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that was used as insulation in buildings because of its high resistance to electricity and fire.If your house was built or renovated before the mid-1980s, it is likely to contain asbestos building materials.
Australians have suffered severe health consequences from asbestos exposure which occurred during home renovations. If you are thinking of renovating, it's important that you are aware of the risks of asbestos and the correct way to handle and dispose of it.
Asbestos fibres are tiny crystals of mineral silicate (a kind of rock dust) that are extremely hazardous when inhaled. These fibres can be released into the air when asbestos products are incorrectly removed, handled, and/or transported for disposal.
The tiny crystal-like fibres get lodged in the membrane of the lungs, where they cause scarring and irritation, making it harder to breathe and absorb oxygen through the lungs.
- breathing in asbestos fibres can cause asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma, which all come with a lowered life expectancy and reduced quality of life
- the symptoms of these diseases do not usually appear until about 20 to 40 years after the first exposure to asbestos
- the risk of contracting these diseases scales with the number of fibres inhaled, but there is no safe level of exposure to asbestos fibres
It is estimated that asbestos causes around 55,000 deaths per year in the world.
Because asbestos was so widely used across a whole range of building materials, there are a number of places it can appear in the home:
Bathroom, toilet and laundry
- asbestos cement sheet walls, ceiling and floors
- the backing for wall tiles
Living areas
- insulation in wood heaters
- asbestos cement sheeting in walls, ceiling and beneath wood-heater hearths
Kitchen
- walls
- splashbacks
- ceilings
- vinyl floor tiles
- backing of vinyl sheet flooring
- underlay sheeting for ceramic tiles
Exterior
- flat, patterned and corrugated wall and roof sheeting
- guttering
- ridge capping
- imitation pick cladding
- lining under eaves
Backyard
- fences
- garden sheds
- garages
- outside toilets
- carports
- dog kennels
- buried and dumped waste materials
Roof cavity
- loose fill insulation (uncommon)
For confirmation of the presence of asbestos in your home, seek the advice of a licensed asbestos professional.
Asbestos as a term refers to a group of mineral fibres, but there are two main categories of asbestos based on the shape and structure of the fibres.
Depending on the type, there are different handling requirements:
Friable asbestos material
- these microscopic fibres form thin, needlelike crystals - these are the most dangerous types of fibres as they penetrate deepest into the lungs when inhaled
- any material that contains asbestos in the form of a powder or a brittle material that can be crumbled, pulverised or reduced to a powder by hand pressure when dry, is a friable form of asbestos
- friable asbestos can most commonly be found in old domestic heaters, stoves, hot water systems, hot water pipe lagging, ceiling insulation products and back of vinyl and linoleum floor coverings
Because of the extreme danger it poses, this form of asbestos must be removed by an asbestos removal contractor with a friable asbestos licence.
Bonded asbestos material (non-friable)
- these fibres form curly and flexible strands that often forms into sheets
- material that contains this form of asbestos is much stronger, and can't be crumbled, pulverised or reduced to a powder by hand pressure when dry
- if bonded asbestos is exposed to fire, hail or activities such as water blasting or drilling, it can become friable asbestos
If the amount is more than that 10 square metres (10m2), you MUST either hire a qualified asbestos professional or obtain a NSW SafeWork bonded asbestos removal licence. However, due to the risks associated with disturbing asbestos, SafeWork NSW recommends you use a licensed asbestos professional to remove any amount of non-friable asebestos.
Storage guidelines
Once bonded asbestos products have been safely removed, you must use the following approaches during handling and storage to minimise the release of dust and fibres:
- wet the asbestos waste and keep it damp to prevent dust – but don’t use too much water and ensure water does not run into drains
- always keep the waste wrapped and sealed so that no dust is created – wrap it in heavy duty plastic* and secure with tape
- separate the asbestos waste and store it away from other types of waste
- store the waste securely to prevent unauthorised access to it
- remove the waste from the site as soon as possible
*The current SafeWork NSW guidelines for wrapping apply (wet and double wrapped in builder’s plastic that is 200μm thick), or an alternative certified asbestos disposal bag
NEVER place asbestos in your kerbside bins.
You can dispose of asbestos at the West Nowra and Ulladulla recycling and waste depots, but you must book your disposal in advance.
West Nowra Recycling and Waste Depot is the only landfill facility in the Shoalhaven for disposing asbestos. The asbestos waste transfer bin located at the Ulladulla depot is for the manual handling of wrapped and sealed asbestos waste packages only.
Disposal of asbestos material will be permitted subject to the following:
Asbestos materials weighing less than 100kg:
- must be presented for disposal in small manageable packages and be able to be lifted and unloaded by hand, by the customer. Staff cannot assist.
- the current SafeWork NSW guidelines for wrapping still apply (wet and double wrapped in builder’s plastic that is 200μm thick), or you can use an alternate certified asbestos disposal bag.
Asbestos materials weighing more than 100kg and/or over 10m2:
- waste transporter must register with EPA WasteLocate
- the EPA WasteLocate consignment barcode must be scanned at the weighbridge
- asbestos materials must be presented for disposal in bags certified and approved by a NATA accredited testing facility for approval of the transport and containment of "Packing Group III" Solid Dangerous Goods (i.e. asbestos).
Asbestos materials weighing more than 100kg AND deemed to be unsuitable for bags must be managed in accordance with EPA and SafeWork NSW guidelines.
Customers must gain approval prior to booking the load as to the safety of the proposed packaging and the disposal unloading method (i.e. manual, tipping or crane).
For more advice on preparing your waste for disposal visit SafeWork NSW.
Asbestos disposal facilities are available at West Nowra Recycling and Waste Depot, and limited asbestos disposal facilities are available at Ulladulla Recycling and Waste Depot
Please note: All bookings must be arranged 24 hours before the intended disposal time.
To book your disposal, call Council on 1300 293 111 (Monday to Friday, 8:30am - 4:30pm)
Safely transporting asbestos
You don’t need a licence to transport bonded asbestos waste. However, you must use the following practices when transporting it:
- make sure the waste has been made wet and sealed in heavy duty plastic (double wrapped in 200μm plastic) prior to loading
- bonded asbestos must be transported in a condition (wet and wrapped) so that the wrapping is unable to break or tear
Illegal dumping of asbestos can have a serious impact to public health and contamination of our environment, and can incur fines of up to $500,000 for individuals and $2 million for corporations. If you discover or witness illegally dumped asbestos please contact the Report Illegal Dumping (RID) hotline on 131 555.
This website outlines the basic safety procedures for identifying, handling and disposing of asbestos but we strongly advise you seek further information by visiting Asbestos in NSW.