This is part of a paid promotion by North East Waste.
It’s easy to forget that asbestos is still present in millions of Australian properties, but it’s a fact, that if a house was built or renovated before 1990, there’s a good chance it has asbestos and it lurks in more places than you’d think.
It’s often found in wet areas including bathrooms, laundries and kitchens and is common in cement sheeting used for walls, ceilings and roofs and in thousands of other building products including vinyl flooring, adhesives, paints, textured coatings and insulation.
Asbestos can be easily disturbed when doing renovations, home improvements or regular maintenance.
Sadly, every year in Australia, an estimated 4,000 people die from asbestos-related diseases because of past exposure to asbestos.
To keep yourself and your family safe around asbestos, take these simple steps:
1. Get in the know – plan ahead before starting any renovations and find out where asbestos is likely to be in your home.
2. Take it slow – to avoid damaging or disturbing asbestos materials.
3. Get a pro – know your limits. Contact a licensed asbestos professional for advice on where it’s located, and on how to manage or remove it.
As part of a regional program aimed at reducing the unsafe removal of asbestos by home renovators, Northern Rivers residents may be eligible for a subsidised household asbestos testing kit.
The kit includes instructions on how to take samples safely and send to a certified testing laboratory. The results are then emailed back to residents.
If asbestos is identified and requires removal, residents are urged to use a licensed asbestos removal contractor to remove and dispose of it safely.
For further advice on household testing kits, contact your council or visit North East Waste.Â
For information on all aspects of asbestos safety, go here.
