issues with asbestos when doing home renovations
What is Asbestos?
Where might I find asbestos?
Remember
Asbestos cement
Asbestos insulation board
Asbestos pipe and boiler lagging
Sprayed asbestos
Other building products
Domestic equipment
Vehicles
Identification
If I find asbestos what do I do?
Removal of samll amounts of asbestos cement
IMPORTANT
How do I dispose of asbestos?

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What is asbestos?
Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral of which there are 3 main types of fibres, chrysotile (white), amosite (brown), and crocidolite (blue).Asbestos products are only dangerous when damaged or worn because they can release dust into the air. Asbestos dust is made up of tiny fibres which, if breathed in, are harmful and can cause eventual damage to the lungs even many years after the first exposure.The level of exposure at which asbestos fibres cause ill health is not known, what is known is that the more asbestos dust a person is exposed to the greater the risk. It is therefore essential to keep the release of asbestos dust to a minimum. Remember the dust is harmful so asbestos products should always be handled carefully.

Where might I find asbestos?
Asbestos is used in a multitude of materials that can be found in and around many homes. Remember
Asbestos is always there for a purpose. It is used either to provide heat resistance (as behind gas fires) or provide rigidity (as in asbestos cement garage roofs), and if removed it should always be replaced by a suitable non-asbestos product.Asbestos cement
One of the most common uses of asbestos in the home is in asbestos cement products. These have the appearance of a hard grey material which is produced either as sheets or mouldings. It is commonly used in the construction of garages, sheds, soffit boards, roof tiles, fire surrounds, eavespouts, drainpipes, flue pipes and water systems.You do not need a 'licence' to handle products containing asbestos cement.Asbestos insulation board
Used for fire protection, heat insulation and as ceiling tiles. Asbestos insulation is used in some warm air heating systems and also for lining cupboards which house the central heating unit. Certain storage heaters may also contain asbestos material. There are several modern substitutes which are now used as an alternative to asbestos boarding.Asbestos pipe and boiler lagging
This type of lagging is unlikely to be found in modern houses but may be found in flats or older houses.
Sprayed asbestos
This may be found in a small number of steel framed houses built before the mid 1970's and is used for protecting the structural steelworks and for insulation purposes.Work which will disturb insulation board, lagging or sprayed asbestos must be carried out by licenced asbestos contractors.Other building products
Some roof felts, textured plaster - 'Artex', paints, floor tiles, wall plugging compounds and specialists adhesives contain asbestos. Domestic equipment
Asbestos is commonly used in oven door seals, ironing boards and oven gloves. It may also be found in fire blankets and electric heaters.Vehicles
Some vehicle brake shoes or pads contain asbestos. When carrying out work on the braking system try to avoid breathing the dust or if possible wear a suitable mask. Do not under any circumstances use an air hose to clear the dust.
Identification
Identification is not easy as you cannot tell if a particular material contains asbestos by looking at it with the naked eye. The colour of the material does not indicate the type of asbestos which may be present. The ONLY way to be certain if a product does contain asbestos is for a reputable laboratory to analyse it. There are a number of private laboratories, which can provide this service.Enquiries should be made directly to the South Yorkshire Laboratory, Station Rd, Sheffield, S35 9YR, telephone (0114) 2037014. Other companies may also provide sampling and analysis services.If I find asbestos what should I do?
If asbestos is found in the home, look for signs of damage or dust being released by the material.

If any asbestos found is in good condition and not worn or damaged, it can be left in place. Added protection can be given by painting with emulsion paint, but remember to use an alkali resistant primer or coating for asbestos cement products.
If the asbestos is damaged or giving off dust it should be carefully removed. Large amounts should only be removed by a specialist contractor. Work on sprayed asbestos, lagging or insulation board should also be left to the specialists. Details of licensed asbestos removal companies can be found in the 'Yellow Pages' under 'asbestos removal'.Smaller amounts of asbestos cement can be removed safely by following the instructions below.
Removal of small amounts of asbestos cement
Removal of small amounts of asbestos cement can be carried out safely if these guidelines are followed:

Wear a dust mask approved for asbestos obtained from safety equipment suppliers.
Wear a disposable overall.
Keep other people away from the work area.
Spread a plastic sheet under the working area to collect dust.
Remember to keep the release of asbestos dust to a minimum by wetting the material (providing there is no contact with electricity).
Remove whole sheets or components; do not break them up.Clean up settled dust with a damp cloth and seal in a plastic bag whilst still damp.
Do not use a domestic vacuum cleaner as fine asbestos dust will pass through the filter (industrial cleaners suitable for asbestos can be hired).
Wash well afterwards.

IMPORTANTDo not saw, drill, break, scrape, brush orscrew any asbestos sheeting.
No attempt should be made to dismantle gas or electric appliances. Your local gas or electrical supplier may be able to give you advice on whether a particular system contains any asbestos.How do I dispose of asbestos?
To dispose of small quantities of dusty or loose asbestos waste, dampen it to stop dust escaping and seal it in a strong plastic bag marked ASBESTOS.Oven gloves, simmering pads and similar small items should also be sealed in a suitable plastic bag as soon as they start to show signs of wear.Large asbestos cement sheets should not be broken up but should be wrapped in polythene sheeting and marked ASBESTOS.Do not under any circumstances put waste asbestos in your dustbin or refuse chute.Asbestos cement products can be taken to the City Recycling Centres by householders and be disposed of in special skips. Care must be taken to prevent contamination of the vehicle. To ensure that facilities are available contact your local recycling centre: