Environment

Welcome to the Asbestos Advice section of the Waste Management website.

This section will provide you with advice and guidance on the removal and disposal of bonded asbestos cement products.

Asbestos cement is a well bonded, sheet building material, commonly used for roofing and outbuildings such as garages. Care must be taken not to confuse it with asbestos insulation board which is similar in appearance, but much more hazardous since it is softer. The following advice applies to asbestos cement only; other types of asbestos are usually more hazardous and require more stringent precautions, and specialised handling and disposal.

Breathing asbestos dust is dangerous. Any work on asbestos cement may generate asbestos dust and we advise that the following precautions are taken to minimise the risk:

• Avoid creating dust from asbestos cement.
  
• Never sand down or wire-brush asbestos cement.
  
• Do not use power tools on asbestos cement.
  
• Avoid breaking asbestos cement.
  
• When working with asbestos cement it is advisable to wear disposable overalls and face mask. Check that they are suitable for use with asbestos. You can get advice from safety equipment centres. After use. these should be disposed of as asbestos waste.
  
• When removing asbestos cement thoroughly wet it first, particularly around any fixings. Use an ordinary hosepipe or watering can for this, not a high-powered water jet. Add detergent to the water if possible.
  
• If fixings are difficult to undo, try to cut them off rather than break the asbestos.
  
• Asbestos cement waste must be wrapped in a double layer of strong polythene e.g., building grade Visqueen (500 gauge, minimum), and sealed with parcel tape or similar.

Failure to wrap or deal asbestos properly will result in a refusal of the site facilities.

• Private householders should take their asbestos waste to the Household Waste Recycling Centre at Bowling Back Lane, Bradford. You must telephone the site beforehand.

Only asbestos loads pre booked will be accepted.

• All waste parcels must be of a manageable, size and weight so as to be readily lifted into the special container by the person delivering the waste.

Container openings are 1 m x 1 m, and 1.1 m off the ground level.

These facilities are not available for commercial operators.