Advice Needed – asbestos in a house

Hi Amanda…this is quite long so grab a coffee….first off these are just my opinions so feel free to get a second opinion…the look alike weatherboard stuff is probably cladding with a foam backing, generally not asbestos. It usual does not need painting as it is an aluminium product. However, it may have been placed over fibro sheeting (asbestos) to dress up the look of house. Generally houses built in 1990 or before will carry asbestos. To test a piece (about the size of a 50 cent piece – triple bagged and sent to a authorised testing facility (look up asbestos testing on web) I use – http://www.queenslandlab.com 22 Ereton Drive, Arundel Qld contact 1300 138 366. Call them and they shall info you procedure it cost $55 incl gst per test. They test piece immediately provided you have a credit card and then they info you over telephone and send a report through via email or mail. If not in Qld I am sure you can find an alternative. I have purchased properties with asbestos and if minimal doesn’t pose a problem – if your just washing it and painting all is good (the key is not to disturb it). Plenty of people buy houses for investment to reside in or rent out which contains asbestos. So I wouldn’t get too hung up on that issue.

The general rule with asbestos is depending on which council area you are in they tend to have slightly different mechanisms for dealing with and disposing of this product. You are correct if not damaged and undisturbed it doesn’t pose a problem. Even drilling, sanding, cutting, breaking or damaging it in any way permits the particulars to disburse into the air – this is a big no no. I have dropped some info from a guide as per below for you. Also here is a website regarding same and licences etc:

 http://www.deir.qld.gov.au/workplace/training/training/activities/asbestosremoval/bclass/index.htm

There would be similar in what ever council you are in – go to your council website and search for asbestos.

However, the general rule (please check with your council) if following your particular council is that provided you are not removing more than 10m2 (equivalent to one bathroom wall) at a time, and you are adhering to the removal and safety precautions – you can do it yourself. Also there are specific guidelines concerning taking it to council smart dumps for disposal. In Logan (Qld) Council smart tips it cost around $14 per 100 kgs. Of course it has to be bagged and tagged prior to delivery and at this specific council you must ring tip 1 hour before arrival. It cost me in disposable coveralls (3pr, goggles, P1 or P2 asbestos masks (YOU CANNOT USE A NORMAL DUST MASK), duck tape, black plastic as per below, gloves and bags to cover boots, water spray bottle – about $200 neat. You make bags doubled wrapped so 2 x men can lift easily into a trailer. Quotes were about $1500-$3000 for someone to do it. To do a 3 bed small cottage inside and outside is about $13K. To be honest after observing some of these guys do their asbestos removal I wouldn’t want to go near the house afterwards. There are obviously licensed asbestos removalists who are very competent.

This fact sheet has been adapted from the Public Health Regulation 2005 and the 2005 NOHSC Code of Practice for the Management and Control of Asbestos.

REMOVING CERAMIC TILES FROM ASBESTOS SHEETING

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

Asbestos is a hazardous substance.

It is a risk to your health and the health of those around you if asbestos fibres become

airborne.

Plan ahead to avoid disturbing materials containing asbestos.

Always prevent creating any dust.

Follow the correct safety procedures.

STEP 1. Get your equipment together

• 0.2mm thick plastic bags no more than 1200mm long and 900mm wide for collection of

asbestos waste

• 0.2mm thick plastic sheeting as a drop sheet

• Duct tape

• Bucket of water and spray bottle filled with detergent and water

• Wide scraper, hammer and chisel

• Disposable cleaning rags (eg. paper, cloth)

• Personal protective equipment – P1 or P2 respirator, disposable coveralls, safety

goggles and disposal gloves

STEP 2. Prepare the work area

• Remove all loose and unnecessary items from the work area

• Close doors and restrict entry

• Cover the floor with plastic sheeting and secure with duct tape

• Keep asbestos waste separate to all other waste

• Put on your personal protective equipment

• Check the fit of your respirator as per manufacturer’s instructions

Warning!

Check for electrical hazards. As you will be using water in this task, it is safest to turn off all

electricity where you are working to prevent electrocution.

STEP 3. Remove wall tiles

• Use the chisel to gently tap between the top of the tile and the backing sheet to release

the tile (do not dig the chisel into the backing sheet)

• As the tile is released, spray detergent water lightly behind the tile to prevent release of

fibres

• Try to prevent the tile from falling onto the plastic

• Place tiles in disposal bags (only fill the bag half full)

• Remove tile adhesive and grout residue from backing sheet to achieve a relatively flat

and clean surface before laying new tiles. Treat all waste as asbestos waste.

If the backing sheet is damaged or broken before or during the removal of the tiles, you’ll need

to remove the entire sheet. You’ll also need to remove the entire sheet if you can’t remove the

tiles without damaging the backing sheet. Arrange for the sheet to be removed by a

professional or remove it yourself using the “Removing Bonded Materials Containing Asbestos”

This fact sheet has been adapted from the Public Health Regulation 2005 and the 2005 NOHSC Code of

Practice for the Management and Control of Asbestos.

procedure. Replace the asbestos sheeting with an alternative wall lining (eg. plywood,

plasterboard, fibre cement sheeting).

STEP 4. Clean up

• Use a cloth and detergent water to gently wipe down the wall. Keep the surface damp

with the detergent spray. Use a scraper to gently remove all residues and do not dig

into the surface of the sheet

• With the wall sheeting now clean and level, wipe down again with a damp detergentwater

cloth

• Remove larger scraps from ground plastic sheet and place in a disposal bag

• Carefully roll or fold plastic sheeting from the floor, so any collected dust or debris does

not spill

Warning!

Domestic vacuum cleaners are unsuitable and should never be used, even if they have a HEPA

filter.

• If necessary, use damp rags and/or an approved asbestos vacuum cleaner to clean any

remaining visibly contaminated sections of the work area

• Do not resoak used rags in the bucket, as this will contaminate the water. Either fold

the rag and use the clean surface or use a new rag.

• Place asbestos debris, used rags, plastic sheeting and other asbestos waste in disposal

bags (only half fill the bag – this is to reduce the chance of the bag splitting)

• After the work area is clean, wet down your personal protective equipment and clothing

with a light spray of water and place them and all used damp cloths into a disposable

bag

• Before removing the bags from the work area, wipe external surfaces with damp rags

to remove any dust and put the used rags in one of the bags

• Seal all disposal bags with duct tape, place into a second disposal bag and seal again

• Label all bags with an appropriate warning such as:

CAUTION – ASBESTOS

DO NOT DAMAGE OR OPEN BAG

DO NOT INHALE DUST

CANCER AND LUNG DISEASE HAZARD

• Dispose of asbestos waste at the appropriate waste facility (contact your local Council

for more information).