Page last updated at 16:54 GMT, Wednesday, February 17 2010

Asbestos

Domestic properties

Asbestos is a natural fibrous material.  There were three types commonly used in the UK.  These are blue asbestos (crocidolite) brown asbestos (amosite) and white asbestos (chrysotile).

Asbestos was used because it is resistant to heat and chemicals and is strong yet flexible.  It was therefore widely used as a building and insulation material.

Due to its fibrous nature it can be breathed and penetrate deep into the lungs.  This can lead to asbestosis and possible lung cancer.  There is only a risk from asbestos when damaged or if drilled or sawed etc.  It is at this point when fibres are released into the air.  The general rule is that if you have asbestos and it is not damaged, it is safest to leave it in place.  The risk to health from undamaged asbestos is very low.

Where can you dispose of asbestos?
The amenity site  at Grange Road, Netley is the only one in the Borough that will accept asbestos from domestic properties.  The telephone number for this site is 023 8040 6182.  The opening times are:-

• Monday to Sunday inclusive - 8.00am - 7.00 pm - Summer and 8.00am - 4.30pm - Winter
• Closed on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Grange Road site will take UP TO 15 sheets of asbestos and it must be double wrapped in polythene. You must ring the site the day before you are intending to take your asbestos and let them know how much you have.

There are four other sites across Hampshire that will accept asbestos. They are:-

Andover - 01264 351421                                         Basingstoke - 01256 461750

Lymington - 01590 672891                                      Portsmouth - 02392 219819

Please note -   When taking asbestos to these other sites, you must  telephone  before you visit to let them know the amount of asbestos you will be taking, as the skips do get very full and are only emptied every four days.   The asbestos must be wrapped and labelled.

Commercial properties

New duties were introduced in May 2004 regarding the identification and management of asbestos in all non-domestic premises including workplaces, public buildings and some areas of rented accommodation.

As part of a five year campaign to increase asbestos awareness, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) during November 2002 introduced the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002. This regulation requires those with repair and maintenance responsibilities for non-domestic premises (know as duty-holders) to assess their premises to determine whether or not they contain asbestos-containing materials, determine any risks from such materials and then to manage them appropriately.
 
The regulation defines a duty-holder as:
 
a) every person who has, by virtue of a contract or tenancy, an obligation of any extent in relation to the maintenance or repair of non-domestic premises or any means of access thereto or egress therefrom; or
 
b) in relation to any part of a non-domestic premises where there is no such contract or tenancy, every person who has, to any extent, control of that part of those non-domestic premises or any means of access thereto or egress therefrom.
 
From this definition, it is clear that a wide range of persons could be a duty-holder and the extent of the practical duties will be determined by contractual and other existing legal obligations towards the property. In respect of leased premises the duties required under the regulation will normally rest with the person who has control of the maintenance activities for the premises. This could be the property owner, the property occupier/s, a managing agent or a combination of them all. In the process of managing the risk from asbestos in buildings there is now the emphasis on assuming any material may contain the material unless provable otherwise.
 
Therefore extensive investigation, surveys and testing will be required during before any maintenance is carried out that may put people at risk of exposure. This is such a great shift in emphasis from past regulation of asbestos that a lead in period was allowed with the requirements coming into force on 21 May 2004.
 
For further information you can read our Asbestos fact sheet  or contact us