I'm just about to demolish a 60's garage which has white corrugated sheets which may contain white asbestos. My problem is what is the best way to dispose of the sheets? I'm hiring a builders type skip for the breeze blocks etc. and wondered if I put the sheets in with this whether it'd be okay (as it all may go to landfill) or should I declare it as hazardous and get a specialist in?
I am aware of the risk of cutting the sheets and am planning to dispose of them whole.
Thanks
Mitch
You are likely to have a great deal of trouble disposing of them. First try your council refuse dept - most no longer take asbestos - some have discount schemes with specialist waste handlers. It's quite likely you will have to pay for a specialist service. They definitely cannot go in a general waste skip (you should have been given info on the receipt about what can go in) - you could face prosecution if you did hide it in a general waste skip (or the skip company will charge a penalty fee to sort it out).
When I got rid of mine, Cambridgeshire refuse dept still took asbestos (they don't now), but only "1 sheet" - however the helpful guy on the phone said "get rid of 1 sheet at each site". However there was no-one watching next to the asbestos disposal bin - woosh, away it all went.
I should have added - it's legal to dismantle and transport the sheets yourself (or any tradesman you employ) - but only to deliver them to someone registered to handle asbestos.
double bag it and landfill it is the approved way.
NT
In article , snipped-for-privacy@gglz.com writes
So where does it go now, by the roadside perhaps?....
Look for the article in (AFAICR) The Times this weeek for an interesting discussion about the various flavours of asbestos and the associated risks or lack thereof. White asbestos is, according to the article, much less hazardous because of its short, soft fibres which are akin to talc when compared with the long sharp fibres of brown and blue asbestos.
Anyway regarding disposal; look at your local authority's 'recycling' website. Can't find the page at present, but mine used to require the (smashed) sheets to be black bagged and the site phoned before delivery into their specific asbestos cement bin. The page now simply states that asbestos cement products are accepted at . . and names the centres.
HTH
Yes, probably. IMO councils are developing a "not our problem" outlook. At least Cambridgeshire has an alternative route for asbestos (with a charge).
I now live in West Norfolk - who in spite of charging rather more council tax, provide a miserably poor refuse service compared to any other LA I've encountered - that must be a factor leading to fly-tipping.
I had some broken asbestos sheets which I kept digging up in the garden to get rid of. The LA said you could take something like up to a ton to be put in the asbestos bin at the dump - sorry "recycling centre" - for about £35. In the end I just broke them up, dampened of course, and put them double bagged into the wheelie bin a little every week.
Now I just had a look to see what the policy is now, their web page for "hazardous waste disposal" is a blank page. Ho hum WTF do we pay our council tax for?
Some councils say just bung it in your bin. Mine does free disposal if you take it to the designated place. It isn't that big a deal at the moment, but I dare say give it 5 minutes and it will be.
-- Mike W
where are you based?
Check your local council's website.
My local council, Birmingham will collect it for free if your dismantle and bag it first. The instructions and advice are very clear. Link here:
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