Asbestos

Significant health risks may rise from the inhalation of airborne asbestos fibres. Asbestos is a known carcinogen and breathing in fibres can cause asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma.

Finding that your home or workplace is made from fibro products doesn't mean your health is at risk. Studies have shown that these products, if in sound condition and left undisturbed, aren't a significant health risk. If the asbestos fibres remain firmly bound in cement, ordinarily you don't need to remove the fibro.

Asbestos fibres can pose a risk to health if airborne, because inhalation is the main way that asbestos enters the body. Therefore, it is important that any material containing asbestos is not weathered, damaged or burnt.

When asbestos fibres are bonded to another material, such as portland cement or various resins, and can't be crushed by hand when dry it is referred to as bonded asbestos.

Asbestos cement (AC) products and electrical metering boards in good condition are examples of bonded asbestos material. A large number of products made from asbestos cement are still found in Australian buildings including flat, corrugated or compressed asbestos cement sheeting (Fibro). Asbestos cement pipes such as electrical, water, drainage and flue pipes are also common.

Friable asbestos material is any material that contains asbestos and is in the form of a powder, or can be crumbled, pulverized or reduced to powder by hand pressure when dry. This may also include previously non-friable material which becomes broken or damaged by mechanical force.

Sprayed limpet, millboard, pipe and boiler lagging, are all examples of friable asbestos. Also, any asbestos cement product that has been subjected to weathering, severely damaged by hail, damaged by heat/fire or other mechanical action or illegal water blasting may also result the asbestos becoming friable and hence the fibres becoming airborne.

The Occupational Health and Safety Regulation 2001 sets out the legal requirements for the safe handling, removal and disposal of asbestos materials.

The removal of any asbestos material should be in accordance with the Code of Practice for the Safe Removal of Asbestos.

Permits and licenses from Workcover are required for the removal of any friable asbestos or more than 10m² of bonded asbestos. If you are considering removing asbestos containing material or employing a contractor to do so on your behalf you should familiarise yourself with the information on asbestos and asbestos licensing on the Workcover website.

Notification of the commencement of all licensed asbestos removal must be made to WorkCover at least seven days prior to work commencing.

The council requires 72 hours notification for the removal of bonded asbestos from any development where the council's approval has been granted for the demolition or renovation. Phone the council's Environment & Health Regulation Unit on 02 9710 0202.

There are penalties for non-compliance with these requirements.

Material containing asbestos is classified as 'industrial waste' and is subject to special monitoring and reporting requirements by the NSW Office of Environment & Heritage.

Lucas Heights Waste Management Centre will receive asbestos waste under certain conditions. At least 24 hours before taking the asbestos waste to the tip it will be necessary to contact SITA Environmental Solutions to book the delivery. Guidelines for the transport and disposal of asbestos material to the facility are available from the SITA Environmental Solutions website.

WorkCover NSW is the regulatory authority for the enforcement of the NSW Occupational Health and Safety Regulation 2001 and deals with asbestos incidents involving work sites. The council is the regulatory authority under the NSW Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 and undertakes investigation for non-work site related asbestos pollution incidents.

Any complaints received by the council regarding the inappropriate handling of asbestos will be investigated and referred to WorkCover inspectors where incidents fall under their jurisdiction. If you have any enquiries about asbestos or concerns about a person or contractor handling asbestos in an unsafe manner, you can report the matter to either the council on 02 9710 0333 or the Workcover NSW Asbestos Hotline.

The following links to the Workcover NSW website provide more useful information on asbestos:

Asbestos Fact Sheet

Asbestos resources for home residents and renovators