Do I need a licence to undertake asbestos removal?
You don’t need a licence if less than 10 square metres of bonded (non-friable) asbestos material is going to be removed. Anything over 10 square metres must be removed by a licensed and qualified contractor. and any amount of friable asbestos can only be removed legally by a suitable qualified licenced person.
Where can i dispose of asbestos waste?
Asbestos waste can only be disposed of at facilities licensed by the Environment Protection Authority to accept asbestos waste. It is illegal to dispose of asbestos in the normal rubbish collection, and a crime to dump it in the street, or on vacant land. Dumping asbestos illegally creates a risk to the public.
Some asbestos products have a low percentage of asbestos and are therefore safe for me to handle. Is that true?
Treat all products containing any amount of asbestos as potentially dangerous if disturbed. A licenced asbestos removalist should remove all asbestos containing material.
Are houses with asbestos roofs safe?
If asbestos cement products are in sound condition and not disturbed, they do not pose a significant health risk. Replace roofing that is weathered, structurally unsound and no longer waterproof. Use a licenced asbestos removalist to remove and dispose of the roofing.
I am renovating my bathroom, kitchen and laundry. Should I be concerned about asbestos?
Asbestos products were often used in wet areas of older homes built or renovated before the mid-1980's such as bathrooms, kitchens and laundries. If in doubt, have the material tested by a qualified professional and/or removed by a licenced asbestos removalist.
Why is asbestos dangerous?
Asbestos still kills around 5000 workers each year, this is more than the number of people killed on the road.Around 20 tradesman die each week as a result of past exposure. However, asbestos is not just a problem of the past. It can be present today in any building built or refurbished before the year 2000.
When materials that contain asbestos are disturbed or damaged, fibres are released into the air. When these fibres are inhaled they can cause serious diseases. These diseases will not affect you immediately; they often take a long time to develop, but once diagnosed, it is often too late to do anything. This is why it is important that you protect yourself now.
Asbestos can cause the following fatal and serious diseases:
Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is a cancer which affects the lining of the lungs (pleura) and the lining surrounding the lower digestive tract (peritoneum). It is almost exclusively related to asbestos exposure and by the time it is diagnosed, it is almost always fatal.
Asbestos-related lung cancer
Asbestos-related lung cancer is the same as (looks the same as) lung cancer caused by smoking and other causes. It is estimated that there is around one lung cancer for every mesothelioma death.
Asbestosis
Asbestosis is a serious scarring condition of the lung that normally occurs after heavy exposure to asbestos over many years. This condition can cause progressive shortness of breath, and in severe cases can be fatal.
Pleural thickening
Pleural thickening is generally a problem that happens after heavy asbestos exposure. The lining of the lung (pleura) thickens and swells. If this gets worse, the lung itself can be squeezed, and can cause shortness of breath and discomfort in the chest.
Do you offer demolition approvals?
Yes, we try to make the process as simple as possible so we will organise the cdc.