From the 1st April 2009, Cheshire West and Chester Council is the new Council replacing Chester City Council, Ellesmere Port & Neston Borough Council, Vale Royal Borough Council and the western part of Cheshire County Council. The pages and documents through this website may contain branding and information relevant to the old councils, but are being made available because they are still relevant to our customers. We are continuing to update all materials on the Cheshire West and Chester website and aim to remove all references to the old Councils by the end of the year (2009).
Other pages in Asbestos: Asbestos in Storage Heaters |
Asbestos
Why Worry About Asbestos in the home?
If your property is more than 15 years old, it's possible that it contains materials made from asbestos.
Common locations are listed below but there may be others in your home - so if in doubt leave well alone and seek expert help.
Common Locations of asbestos:
If your home is rented, your landlord may have relevant information.
What to do if you have Asbestos in your home
- The general rule is to always leave asbestos alone, it's usually safe unless it's damaged or disturbed.
- Paint indoor materials with an alkali resistant paint such as PVA emulsion, and never sand, drill or saw asbestos materials.
- Always seek advice before thinking of removing asbestos and follow the basic rules below if carrying out asbestos cement removal work. Do not attempt to remove asbestos lagging, spray coatings or large areas of Insulation Board by yourself as these materials can only be safely removed by a licensed contractor.
Safe Asbestos Cement Removal
Asbestos cement can be safely removed by remembering these basic rules:-
- Prepare the work area - remove any unnecessary items, cover the floor and surfaces with disposable polythene sheeting.
- Wear protective clothing- disposable overall with hood, disposable paper face mask (for use with asbestos) and rubber or disposable gloves.
- Damp down - use a plant sprayer or hosepipe but don't soak the area as this will make cleaning up more difficult.
- Remove the asbestos without breaking it up, wrap in polythene sheeting or bags and seal with tape.
- Visually inspect the area and clear up any debris by hand - wipe down with disposable damp clothes. Never use a vacuum cleaner as this will just spread dust around.
- Pick up polythene sheeting and remove protective clothing and dispose of both as asbestos waste.
- Wash hands and face after the job is completed.
Disposal of Asbestos waste
Asbestos cement can be disposed of free of charge by householders at the Civic Amenities Site, Clayhill Industrial Estate, Neston tel.0151 3368369
If as a house holder, you intend to transport asbestos cement waste in your own vehicle, you do not need to be a registered carrier provided that it is your own waste.
However, you should take the following steps to ensure that asbestos does not contaminate your car:
- Spray sheets of asbestos cement with water.
- Double wrap or double bag the asbestos cement with heavy duty polythene.
- Ensure the wrapping is secured with tape.
- Make sure vehicle occupants do not have access to the asbestos waste.
Asbestos Do's and Dont's
- Don't panic if you think you have asbestos in your home - it's usually only a problem if it's disturbed.
- Do treat asbestos with respect.
- Don't drill, saw or disturb materials that contain asbestos.
- Do seek advice if you think you've got a problem with asbestos in your home.
Dismantling your old Asbestos Garage
If your garage is an old one (pre 1983) and if the roof and / or the walls are made of a flat or corrugated grey sheet about 1/8th of an inch thick then these sheets could well be Asbestos Cement.
Asbestos Cement sheets were used extensively in cladding a metal or wooden frame to make garages or sheds. It usually contains 10 to 15% Asbestos mixed with cement. It can also be moulded into many forms from flat or corrugated sheets to complicated shapes such as ventilator covers. After 1983 this product stopped containing Asbestos.
Look out for garages attached to houses, which might well be lined internally with a thicker softer board called Asbestos Insulation Board. This is a dustier and much more dangerous product. Only a licensed Asbestos removal contractor should handle it.
With certain precautions a home handy person can remove Asbestos cement, these are:
- When handling Asbestos Cement always be very careful not to break or crush it. Breaking an Asbestos
- Cement sheet will release a small amount of Asbestos fibres, this in itself might not put your health at risk but it is not a good idea.
- The material should be kept wet when being worked with. If you dismantled your garage on a wet drizzly day this would be ideal. Do not hose the structure down as this might wash off fibres from old sheets.
- Take the whole sheets off the frame they are cladding. Avoid damaging the sheets by cutting the fixings.
- The sheets should be taken down and wrapped in polythene and taped to make a sealed package. This should then be repeated so each sheet is double wrapped.
- Whilst carrying out this work you must wear a suitable disposable boiler suit with elasticated cuffs and ankles and with a hood which should be used. Wear something like wellington boots on your feet so they can be washed down at the end.
- You must also wear a suitable dust mask. This should be of the P2 or P3 type. The disposable ones are fine.
- Always put on your mask before you pull the hood over your head. The mask and boiler suit should be thrown away with your waste Asbestos at the end of the job. This protective clothing is your insurance policy,
- Old Asbestos cement sheets can be brittle and dusty due to weathering and unintended breakage can be expected.
- When you are left with wrapped packages of Asbestos Cement they must then be disposed of to a licensed Asbestos tip.
The best bet for disposal is the Civic Amenities Site, Clayhill Industrial Estate, Neston tel.0151 3368369
This site is free for domestic waste
If you have any doubts about what you are about to handle, stop immediately and contact us, Environmental and Health Services on C01244- 402325, or via email: healthandsafety@chester.gov.uk.
Other pages in Asbestos
From the 1st April 2009, Cheshire West and Chester Council is the new Council replacing Chester City Council, Ellesmere Port & Neston Borough Council, Vale Royal Borough Council and the western part of Cheshire County Council. The pages and documents through this website may contain branding and information relevant to the old councils, but are being made available because they are still relevant to our customers. We are continuing to update all materials on the Cheshire West and Chester website and aim to remove all references to the old Councils by the end of the year (2009).