Asbestos is a dangerous material which can be found in residential and industrial buildings built or refurbished before the year 2000.
We don't offer asbestos identification or removal services to home owners. If you're a council housing tenant please contact your local Area Housing Office.
What to do if you think there's asbestos in your home
Asbestos may be found in your home or other structures such as garages, sheds and outbuildings.
You can find more information from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) on how to identify asbestos.
Asbestos is not immediately dangerous if it's:
- well sealed or painted over
- panels are not broken
- surfaces are not exposed
You should seek help if:
- paint is flaking away
- suspect material has been chipped, broken, or damaged
Forms of asbestos
Asbestos cement
Asbestos cement is a material commonly used for construction of garages etc. You can remove asbestos cement without a licence, providing you've had appropriate information, instruction and training. You can find more about training from the Health and Safety Executive.
Neither we or the HSE have any legal powers to assist private householders with the removal of asbestos cement sheets. However the HSE should be contacted if you have concerns about how a contracted builder is taking down an asbestos cement structure at a domestic property.
Textured coatings
Textured Coatings such as Artex can contain asbestos but may be worked on by non-licensed workers providing they have received appropriate training.
Large scale removal of textured coatings would require notification. The HSE provides information regarding safe methods for removal, work on cement asbestos and other non-licensed asbestos work.
Other asbestos containing materials
Asbestos can be found in:
- lagging and insulation of pipework
- sprayed coatings on undersides of roofing, walls and beams
- asbestos insulation board (AIB) often used in ceiling tiles and as fireproofing in partition walls and fire doors
The removal of other forms of asbestos containing materials such as sprayed asbestos coatings, asbestos insulation, asbestos lagging and most work involving asbestos insulating board (AIB), should only be carried out by a licensed contractor and you’ll need to notify the relevant enforcing authority.
Don't put waste asbestos in a bin or a builder's skip.
Dispose of asbestos at a Household Waste Recycling Centre (tip)
Ensure that any asbestos cement waste is double bagged and taped up, then you can take it to one of the following Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRC) which have dedicated asbestos cement containers:
- Greaves Lane HWRC
- Deepcar HWRC
- Beighton Road HWRC
- Blackstock Road HWRC
Dispose of in a skip
Check that the company you want to use is willing and properly licensed to take asbestos waste before hiring a skip.
Asbestos cement waste disposed of by a contractor or skip hire company is classified as commercial hazardous waste and must be taken by them to a licensed landfill site, under a consignment note issued by the Environment Agency.
Before you hire a skip to remove your asbestos cement waste, first check that the company you want to use is willing and properly licensed to take asbestos waste. The company will need to be a registered carrier of waste and provide you with a valid consignment note.
All your asbestos waste must be double bagged and properly sealed before being put into your skip.
Disposal by builder
If you employ a builder to repair or demolish an asbestos cement structure, the waste is the legal responsibility of your builder to dispose of unless you contractually agree to dispose of it yourself.