Asbestos removal

[Vass]

Can I remove white asbestos i.e. Drainpipes ? and will the local tip take it ?

[BIG NIGE]

I Would think that you would need to contact your Local Council to answer that.

[EricP]

Well, I would not tell anyone official about it or a truck will appear with people in it, wearing disposable suits and respirators, and your wallet will feel ill.

Go down your local council tip and look around for one of those lidded skips labeled asbestos.

That's a good start, then approach one of the site keepers (Carefully), and ask how it operates. You might get caught, turning up with a load when the skip has been removed for emptying, and have to take the whole load away, because they won't keep it.

Having found you can get rid of it, go home, put a decent mask on and bash hell out of it, in as eco-friendly manner as you can manage.

Take it to the tip and pray the skip is open.

If anybody (neighbours etc) query it, tell them you have had it analysed at enormous expense and it just looks like asbestos, but it's really concrete.

Best of luck.

[Simon Rogers]

I have just removed my old garage roof myself I done a search on my local councils website (Liverpool) phoned the Mersey waste disposal and have been given an appointment to dump it free of charge It can only be done on certain days every 3rd Wednesday and by appointment only also it has to be wrapped in plastic sheeting or double bagged.

Si

[John]

I wouldn't recommend 'bashing hell out of it'. Not an expert but I would suggest removing and retaining it intact as much as possible seeing as it's airborne fibres which re the danger. I think that this form of asbestos is not the most dangerous. I'm sure a bit of web searching would find some info.

[Lloyd and Sarah]

Would like to echo Johns sentiments...

My grandfather has asbestosis..... caught through years working on building sites, building houses like yours infact, breathing in airborne particles....

He has been pretty well screwed for years, but perhaps if less people were adviced to bash the hell out of it then less people would have to suffer like my grandfather!

Sorry to sound boring but it aint a nice thing to see... always be carefull with asbestos, work with your council and do a proper job, half arsed measures could end up being very costly

Lloyd

[keith_765]

CUT John's right, you don't bash hell out of asbestos, don't even saw or drill it. The type used in rain water guttering and down pipes is not the most dangerous but all asbestos is now classed as haziest material. Leave it whole and double wrap it in Clingfilm for handling and transport. A mask, disposable coverall suit and gloves are a must. If your taking the asbestos to the tip in a car, cover the interior of the vehicle. Not sure if using a vacuum cleaner is the best way to clean the internals a good idea. Some ones got to empty it. For the small amount on a normal house, providing you stick to the above, it shouldn't harm you. When you've finished throw away the mask, gloves and disposable suit and have a shower or bath to rid any particles.

.

[Andrew Gabriel]

Also wet it, and keep it wet whilst handling. This helps stop fibres/dust blowing off it.

[Stuart]

One particle caught in your lung can lead to asbestosis some 30 years later. So even if you are wearing a mask etc your neighbours arn't, so don't bash it, leave it as whole as possible. Stuart

[Don Spumey]

Snipped.

To limit the possibility of airborne dust, it would be wise to spray the asbestos with water prior to removal.

Don.

[BIG NIGE]

I Stick with my original comment of check with your local council and ignore advice that could make you or your neighbours ill or get you into a lot of trouble.

[bigcat]

Unfortunately legislation and the reality do not align too well when it comes to asbestos disposal. White asbestos is harmless, but blue and brown are a real risk. In the case of blue or brown I would indeed act with caution, but white asbestos was more an enhancement to building safety than a threat.

BTW lots of us live in asbestos buildings, with eg asbestos roofs, artex, asbestos piping etc... white asbestos that is.

NT

[Olaf]

How is white asbestos harmless? That would be a relief to me actually. I have a family member with a few patches of white asbestos around some heat ducts.

[John Whitworth]

Absolutely fascinating. I've just Googled on asbestos, and realised that it has been in use for about 5900 years longer than I thought!

I seriously thought it was a modern (1940s/50s) ceramic-like synthetic fibre!!

The link I found does NOT say that white asbestos is safe. Just that there has been less incidence of disease with that type.

JW

[bigcat]

building

actually. I

Heres the latest science on it:

a more general info site:

In short, its blue and brown that are dangerous, but not white. The

1980s report that panicked the nation failed to distinguish between the efects of the different types of asbestos, which are in reality quite different materials.

NT