What Is Asbestos?
Asbestos is the name given to a group of naturally occurring fibrous materials.
There are three main types - white (Chrystolie), brown (Amosite) and blue (Crocidolite).
However, it cannot be identified just by its colour.
All asbestos is potentially lethal.
If you suspect you have asbestos in your private household, we would advise that you seek some advice. The Health and Safety executive have plenty of information on asbestos.
Blackpool Council do offer a disposal service for asbestos located at our Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC). Residents can dispose of wrapped asbestos here. You must properly wrap all asbestos in the designated wrapping which can be obtained from the HWRC.
Removal and disposal of asbestos Asbestos must be removed and disposed of in a controlled and safe manner. The Council encourages householders to dispose of all types of asbestos through a licensed contractor. However, small quantities of Cement Bonded Asbestos, arising as a result of your own household maintenance and repairs can be taken to the Household recycling Centre If you wish to dispose of your asbestos in this manner you must follow the advice and step by step guide given below: Asbestos taken to the Recycling Centre must be contained in bags provided by the Council and sealed with tape to avoid the release of asbestos fibres. Each household is limited to 3 free bags in a 12 month period. If the total amount of asbestos that you need to dispose of will not fit into the 3 bags please contact a licensed contractor for disposal. You must check with a site assistant for availability of capacity, for when you plan to dispose of your asbestos.
If you think there is asbestos within a building or piece of land and the land / property is owned by the Council, you should contact our Streetscene Team on 01253 476034.
If the land / property is not owned by the Council, you will need to contact a private asbestos specialist.
If you are unsure who owns the property, contact us and we will investigate.
If you think that asbestos may have been dumped,you need to let us know straightaway. Fly-tipping of any material is a serious issue, it is against the law to deposit any item of rubbish on to land. If the fly-tipping has occurred on Blackpool Council land then it will be investigated, removed and follow up legal action taken.
Asbestos is a Hazardous material and because of this we have strict legal criteria we must adhere to before we can pick up any dumped asbestos.
The fly-tipping incident must be investigated, and an application to dispose of it at the Landfill must be made. Because of the nature of the material there is limited access to the landfill site to dispose of the asbestos.
The correct health and safety procedures must be followed to ensure that our collection crews and the public are protected during the clear up and transport process.
Generally our reaction time are as follows:
- Reports of fly-tipped asbestos made on and Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday will be actioned on a Friday.
Reports of fly-tipped asbestos made on a Thursday and Friday will be actioned on a Tuesday. To report an incident of fly-tipped asbestos, please call our Customer First Centre. Where is Asbestos Found?
Asbestos was used extensively as a building material throughout the 1950's up until the 1980's when it was deemed hazardous to human exposure. However, thousands of tonnes still remain in:
- Asbestos cement e.g. garage roofs.
- Insulating boards e.g. airing cupboard doors
- Textured walls, ceiling coatings and tiles
- Lagging for boilers and pipe work
- Rainwater pipes
Health Issues
Today using asbestos in new structures is illegal because it is so dangerous. All asbestos is banned and strict laws govern how to deal with any asbestos remaining in buildings.
Asbestos is extremely dangerous when it is disturbed and its fibres get into the air. It is the release of these fibres that produce the risk. If asbestos dust is inhaled, it can lead to fatal diseases such as:
- Asbestosis
- Pleural Plaque
- Mesothelioma
- Lung cancer
Undamaged and intact asbestos should be checked and managed rather than disturbed. Asbestos may also cause or make other diseases worse. There is no cure for asbestos related diseases; around 3000 people die each year from asbestos diseases, which can take up to 60 years to show effect.
Guide
- Contact your household waste recycling centre (HWRC) for advice on how much asbestos they will accept and how you should wrap it. You will need to visit the HWRC before you dispose of your asbestos, as they will provide you with bags / sheets for wrapping it correctly.
- Plan the work so that the asbestos is handled as little as possible.
- Damp down the material before disturbing it.
- Do not break up cement sheeting. If they must be cut use a handsaw not power tools.
- If dust is produced ensure it is wet, then sweep it up.
- Do not use a vacuum as the dust may be spread around the house.
- Put ALL asbestos waste material into the correct wrapping, and ensure the bags are securely sealed.
- Take the wrapped asbestos to a licensed site.
Advice
This information is aimed at householders not private businesses, as they have different duties and responsibilities when dealing with hazardous waste such as Asbestos.
The best way to remove asbestos is to use a licensed contractor.
Current advise should always be followed. Contact the Health and Safety Executive: Information line - 08701 545500 or visit
www.hse.gov.ukThis advise is given to help reduce the risk involved in removing small quantities of asbestos and is not intended to be relied on as providing a safe system of work so the Council accepts no liability for any loss or damaged caused.