Asbestos
If you live in a council-owned property and are worried about asbestos in your home, contact your housing office for help.
Asbestos in your property
The most likely form of asbestos in your home is bonded asbestos cement. This type of asbestos was used for:
- corrugated shed roofs
- rainwater pipes or guttering
Risks to your health are low if asbestos products are in good condition and left undisturbed
Asbestos removal
You can legally remove asbestos from your property but you must use proper protective equipment and follow safe working practices.
When removing asbestos, you must:
- thoroughly wet the material before handling
- not break, grind or saw the material
- take the material apart in complete sections where possible
- use a dust mask and disposable overalls
- double-bag the material in two strong plastic bags
We cannot remove asbestos for you.
If asbestos is broken or being removed, we can only:
- check that safe practices are in place
- make sure specialist licensed contractors are used
- pass your concerns on to the national Heath and Safety Executive (HSE), if necessary
You can use our pollution and noise form if you need to make a report for any of the reasons above.
Asbestos disposal
All asbestos must be disposed of at a licensed waste site. The sites listed below are privately operated and will charge for receiving waste. They are not obliged to accept waste taken to them so it is important that you phone in advance.
Licensed site | Phone | Asbestos accepted |
---|---|---|
Ahern, Basildon | 01268 533 535 | Asbestos cement only |
Aspect Contracts, Canvey Island | 01268 681 177 | All asbestos |
Colchester Skip Hire, Wormingford | 01206 242 345 | Asbestos cement only |
Lafarge Redland, Roxwell | 01245 440 822 | Asbestos cement only |
Lenval, Stanford-le-Hope | 01375 640 344 | All asbestos |
Onyx, Basildon | 01268 523 387 | Asbestos cement only |
You can find out more about asbestos removal on the Health and Safety Executive website.
Advice for businesses
Businesses should always dispose of asbestos waste correctly and responsibly.
You can find out more about hazardous waste management on the Environment Agency website.