How to safely dispose asbestos in Brisbane
Learn how to safely dispose of asbestos in Brisbane to protect your health and comply with legal regulations. Always contact licensed contractors for removal and disposal.
Asbestos is a type of building material used in the building industry between the 1940s and late 1980s. People used it because it was durable, fire-resistant, and provided good insulation.
Now that we know the health risks, asbestos is no longer used and needs specialised removal. Only a licensed contractor should remove or break materials suspected of containing asbestos fibers.
If you suspect a location contains asbestos, do not disturb it! Contact a licensed contractor for asbestos removal and treatment.
Types of asbestos
Asbestos types include bonded and fibrous:
- Bonded asbestos - is asbestos mixed with cement or resin to make it more stable. Health risks associated with undisturbed bonded asbestos are low. The concern arises when people remove or handle bonded asbestos.
- Fibrous asbestos - is asbestos in a dusty or fibrous form that can crumble into powder and get into the air. Only an approved and licensed asbestos contractor can handle this product.
How to identify asbestos
Asbestos can be hard to identify by sight. As a rule, houses built:
- before the mid-1980s are more than likely to contain asbestos materials
- between the mid-1980s and 1990, are likely to contain asbestos materials
- after the 1990s are highly unlikely to contain asbestos materials.
Products that may contain asbestos:
- carpet underlay (felt, hessian)
- ceiling/roofing tiles
- fireproofing around flues and ducts
- fire-rated safety doors (older style)
- floor tiles (vinyl and thermoplastic) and backing to vinyl flooring
- gutters, rainwater pipes, and water tanks
- insulation around pipes and electrical equipment
- roofing material - flat, corrugated, or bitumen
- wall sheeting (internal and external) and textured coatings.
Asbestos health risks
If left untouched, asbestos poses no immediate danger. Mishandling or disturbing asbestos through pressure cleaning, cutting, or sanding can release harmful fibers.
Inhaling asbestos fibers can cause serious diseases that affect lung tissue like asbestosis, mesothelioma, or lung cancer. The risk of contracting these diseases increases with the number of fibres inhaled and the length of time you inhale them. The longer you stay exposed to high levels of asbestos, the greater your risk. You should always take extreme care when dealing with any asbestos product.
Asbestos removal
Don't endanger yourself, your family or neighbours by trying to:
- remove asbestos yourself, or;
- demolish structures containing asbestos.
If you are renovating your home and suspect it contains asbestos, contact a certified asbestos contractor.
Asbestos removal contractors can also provide a specially-lined bin for tradespeople to use during renovations. After finishing the renovations, the contractors will collect the bin and safely dispose of the asbestos waste.
Asbestos disposal
Dumping asbestos in any bins, public places or Council's resource recovery centres is illegal.
People who don’t comply may face fines over $50,000 and additional costs for legal and investigation work.
You can report illegal dumping by calling the 24/7 Pollution Hotline on 1300 130 372 or online.
Complaints about asbestos handling
If you think someone is handling, removing, or dumping asbestos improperly, contact Council.
If you think a business or contractor is handling asbestos unsafely, call the Queensland Department of Justice and the Attorney-General at 13 QGOV (13 74 68).
More information
The Queensland Government Asbestos website provides more information about:
- asbestos health risks
- safe handling and disposal of asbestos.