Asbestos

Removal of Asbestos Cement Product

Left undisturbed in buildings, asbestos cement building products pose little risk to health, so there is no need to remove or coat asbestos cement materials that are in good condition. All asbestos cement products can be removed safely without causing a risk to the public or workers provided safe work procedures are followed.
Residents removing asbestos cement products must comply with the Health (Asbestos) Regulations 1992, the Occupational Safety and Health Regulations 1996 and Environmental Protection (Controlled Waste) Regulations 2004. As of 1 July 2010, Contractors removing more than 10 square metres of bonded asbestos will be required to hold an Asbestos License, issued by Work Safe WA.

Safe work procedures for the removal of asbestos

• Asbestos cement sheets should be kept wet with water during removal or sprayed with a PVA (poly vinyl acetate) solution
• Use only non-powered hand tools or portable power tools incorporating dust suppression or dust extraction attachments designed to collect asbestos fibres
• Care must be taken when removing asbestos cement products to ensure minimal breakage. Roofing materials must be lowered to the ground, not dropped
• Removed sheets are to be stacked on polythene sheeting, then wrapped and sealed into bundles for disposal, or placed directly into disposal bins that have been lined with polythene sheeting, and sealed for disposal
• Sheets must not be left lying about where they may be further broken or crushed
• When stacking removed sheets, care must be taken not to slide one sheet over another, as this will result in the release of fibres
• Asbestos roof gutters must be sealed prior to their removal
• Any visible asbestos cement residue remaining in the roof space, in the roof gutters or within the removal area is to be cleaned up using an approved vacuum cleaner
• All waste containing asbestos is to be kept wet, wrapped in thick plastic or otherwise sealed and removed from the site as soon as practicable

Demolition sites

In addition to above information, those working on demolition sites should comply with the following details;

• When removing asbestos cement building products from a demolition site, it is recommended that the surrounding area have warning signs and a barrier erected to prevent people from entering
• All people involved with asbestos cement removal should wear disposable coveralls and a disposable mask that complies with Australian Standard

For information regarding personal protection during asbestos product removal, contact WorkSafe on 1300 136 237

Disposal to landfill sites

Within the metropolitan area, asbestos cement waste must be disposed of in accordance with the requirements of the Environmental Protection (Controlled Waste) Regulations 2004. Material containing asbestos must be:

• Separated from all other waste
• Wrapped in heavy duty plastic to prevent asbestos fibres entering the atmosphere during transportation by road
• Clearly labelled and marked CAUTION ASBESTOS in letters at least 30cm high.
• The nearest facility to accept asbestos cement waste is Tamala Park