Safe And Legal Asbestos Disposal
While all asbestos is inherently dangerous if damaged or weathered, it is friable, or ‘loose’, asbestos which poses the highest asbestos disposal risk. Used for a multitude of purposes such as insulation for pipes, fire-retardant for electrical wiring, backing for vinyl tiles and more, it is this loosely applied form of asbestos that poses the greatest threat.
Not that any asbestos is safe. Any roofing, particularly expansive commercial roofing, comprising asbestos is a hazard to the environment. Many industrial and commercial roofs are up to 85 years old. In Australia , with our harsh weather conditions, that is more than long enough for deterioration to have set it. Add to this the corrosive effects of airborne pollution, fungus, mould and mildew, and in some areas salt spray, and most asbestos roofs will have started to flake and crack, and those deadly fibres will be escaping into the atmosphere or be washed down into stormwater drains.
Though asbestos fibres continue to unravel until they are microscopic, they never completely breakdown and disappear, they continue on forever.
Safe Transportation of Asbestos
If any amount of friable asbestos greater than 0.5m 2 or non-friable asbestos greater than 10m 2 is to be removed, a licensed contractor must be employed.
After removal, the asbestos must be contained in purpose made bags and clearly marked, then transported under a “Transporter of Listed Waste” licence. The load must be identified and transported as dangerous goods and disposed of at a licensed disposal site.
Though households have the choice of employing a licensed contractor for non-friable asbestos removal , businesses faced with roof removal, or the removal of any type of asbestos, do not have the same choice but must hire the services of a fully registered and experienced professional for the safe removal of asbestos materials.
One of the troubles is that asbestos has been used in so many products it may be difficult to tell, and sometimes quite surprising, the amount of asbestos around your work environment that is lying undetected, and this is another area where professional asbestos contractors can assist you.
Commercial Roofing Australia undertake safe asbestos disposal anywhere across Sydney and NSW for commercial and industrial businesses. Contact us on 1300 725 988 or via our free quote form and we will be happy to discuss your needs and the potential cost involved.
