Asbestos

Bonded asbestos containing materials are considered low risk if they are sealed, undisturbed and in good condition. However, they pose a serious health risk when disturbed, damaged or weathered. To avoid any potential health hazards, it is critical that all asbestos-containing material is properly handled, removed and disposed of. 

All homeowners should seek accurate information and advice prior to commencing any home maintenance or renovation. 

Removal 

If you discover or suspect you have found asbestos containing materials in your home, consider engaging a licenced professional to test the material. Most importantly, if you think it might be asbestos, treat it like it is. 

As dictated by law, a licensed asbestos removal contractor must be contacted for the removal of:

  • All friable asbestos 
  • More than ten (10) metres of bonded asbestos (about the size of a small bathroom)
  • If bonded asbestos is damaged or weathered.

Disposal  

All asbestos containing materials must be disposed of at a licensed facility. Lachlan Shire Council only accepts asbestos at the Condobolin and Lake Cargelligo Waste Facilities. 

The safety of Council employees and the general public is Council’s priority. To ensure the safety of all, you must comply with the following procedures for asbestos disposal;

  • Loads must be double wrapped in black ‘builders type’ plastic and sealed with silver duct tape and loaded onto a pallet
  • Wrapping and taping must be robust enough to allow Council employees to handle the asbestos pallet, without the contents breaking through thus exposing the asbestos material contents
  • Each loaded pallet must not exceed a height of 1 metre and a weight of 100kg.

All customers and/or contractors will need to book for disposal at Council's waste facilities. All bookings require the following information: 

  • Contact name and phone number
  • Registration of the vehicle and trailer that the load will be delivered to the waste facility’s main gate for assessment and acceptance 
  • Approximate size of load 
  • Type of asbestos – friable (i.e. insulation, asbestos fibre) or non-friable (i.e. roof or fence corrugated sheeting, eave or fibro wall sheeting). 

For more information or to organise a booking, please call Council on 02 6895 1900.

Important notice to the public regarding the disposal of asbestos 

  • If a load is delivered to Council’s waste facilities and is not declared as asbestos by the customer, then the load will not be accepted until it is wrapped correctly as required above
  • If asbestos is dumped at an active tipping site and the offending customer is identified, then a fine will be imposed. The load charge will then be recalculated and the offending customer will be asked to remove the asbestos and wrap it correctly as required above. If the offending customer refuses to remove the asbestos, then a professional asbestos removalist contractor will be engaged, and their fee passed onto the offending customer.

Important information and links

  • Asbestos Awareness website – created by the Asbestos Education Committee, this website provides a comprehensive guide on all aspects of asbestos for home renovators and tradesman.
  • The NSW Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) – outlines legal requirements and provides information on guidelines for asbestos removal, transport and disposal at licensed landfills.
  • The Environment NSW ‘Safely Disposing of Asbestos Waste From Home(PDF, 378KB) ’ brochure - a quick guide on the safe handling, storage, transport and disposal of bonded asbestos.
  • SafeWork NSW – provides advice on licenses, licensed contractors and guidelines necessary for asbestos removal at home and in the workplace.
  • NSW Government Health – The NSW Government’s Health website provides detailed information regarding the health risks of asbestos.
  • NSW Government Fair Trading – The NSW Government’s Fair Trading website covers safe working practices for renovators
  • NSW Government Factsheet(PDF, 2MB) – this factsheet from the NSW Government provides information on the safe management, safe removal and safe disposal of asbestos. It also includes a comprehensive list of contacts should you find asbestos. 
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