Asbestos is found in one in three homes across Australia
If your home was built before 1990, it could contain asbestos materials in walls, ceilings, floors, , roofs, fences and garages. Asbestos is dangerous when damaged, disturbed or deteriorating so you shouldn’t remove it yourself.
Four times more people die from asbestos related diseases every year than on our roads.
Kyogle and Richmond Valley councils in partnership with North East Waste are asking households to Be Asbestos Ready.
Here’s how:
Before you begin a renovation, please follow these three simple steps.
1. Think ahead: Remember that asbestos was used in 3000 building products and can be found throughout the home.
2. Plan ahead: Fibres from disturbed, damaged or deteriorating asbestos are easily inhaled and can be a serious health risk. There’s no fast or easy way to remove it, so plan ahead to avoid project delays and unexpected costs.
3. Get a professional: Please don’t risk your own or anyone else’s health. If you’re renovating, start by contacting a licensed asbestos professional if you aren’t trained to locate, manage or remove it.
Residents may be eligible for a household asbestos testing kit, available from council offices at Kyogle, Casino and Evans Head. The kit includes instructions on how to take samples safely and send to a certified testing laboratory.
If asbestos is identified and requires removal, residents are urged to use a licensed removal contractor to remove and dispose of it safely.
Asbestos waste should always be disposed of at a landfill that is licensed to accept it. It is illegal to dispose of asbestos in any domestic or commercial bins or to re-use or recycle it and doing so can incur heavy fines.
For further information contact your council or visit here.
For more information on asbestos safety go here
and then