Asbestos removal
Asbestos removal is the process of removing asbestos containing materials (ACMs) from a building or structure. It is an industry that has gradually built up since asbestos started being abolished from the end of the 70s. In recent times the industry has become particularly big because of the introduction of legislation meaning that landlords (dutyholders) need to identify and manage asbestos in their properties.
The asbestos removal process
Essentially there are 6 steps to the removal process;
- Preparation of the area (i.e removing any articles which are not contaminated and leaving the area as clean as possible).
- Isolation of the area (where the contractor builds an air tight structure around the area to prevent the spread of fibres). See asbestos removal enclosure.
- Preparation of the decontamination areas (the contractor will prepare the various areas where the operatives will decontaminate themselves after each session). See asbestos decontamination and asbestos decontamination units.
- Preparation of the disposal area (the contractor will create an area [normally a sealed skip] where the asbestos material can be safely disposed of) see asbestos waste disposal
- Clearance (the contractor will use an independant inspection body to test the enclosure to ensure that the level of fibres in the air is safe). See Asbestos Test
- Deconstruction (the contractor will remove the enclosure and waste).
These steps give a basic overview of the process which applies to all asbestos removal but where low risk materials (such as asbestos cement) are being removed the processes may be far less rigorous.
Finding a contractor and getting quotes
Asbestos contractors in the UK are heavily legislated and monitored to ensure that workers are not exposed to the dangerous fibres that are released during removal. This applies, in particular, to handling high-risk materials such as thermal insulation and those containing Amosite and Crocidolite fibres. In these instances the operator requires a special license granted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Lower risk products such as cement sheeting, Artex and floor tiles do not normally fall into this category but it should be noted that legislation is very complex.
We have listed a number of ways to find a suitable contractor on our Asbestos Removal Contractors in the UK page.
If you are looking to get more than one quote then we provide a FREE 'quote comparison' service which you can access by completing the for at the top of this page.
Removal costs
These special methods that licesned contractors use mean that removal of high-risk products is often a costly affair. Indeed, abatement in some very large buildings (such as hospitals and power stations) can often run into millions. In smaller premises, such as homes and offices, removal costs will start a couple of hundred pounds for a garden shed roof upto a few thousand for removal of an insulation board garage ceiling. The cost is ultimately dicated by how much material needs to be removed, how easy it is to prevent the spread of fibres and how accesible the area is. So, for an example, removing packing from under a floor would be very expensive but taking down a ceiling in an empty room would be far cheaper.
Cheap asbestos removal
It is not illegal to remove asbestos materials in your own home (as long as you don't employ anyone to help you). So if you are looking for a cheap way to remove asbestos then you might consider doing it yourself.
Removing low-risk asbestos products is reasonably safe to do as long as you are a practical sort of person. By low-risk, we are referring to asbestos cement roof sheets, panels and water goods. The main thing to bear in mind is that your objective is to protect yourself from exposure to fibres and you can achieve this following these basic rules
- Always wet down the material to prevent fibre release
- Minimalise breakage and NEVER scrape or sand asbestos materials
- Wear a disposable half-mask
- Always DOUBLE bag the waste in thick polythene sacks (recycling centres will insist upon this)
- Wear paper coveralls during the process and dispose of them in the waste bags
While floor tiles and textured coatings, such as Artex, are low risk products, they are far riskier to remove yourself as the process normally involves alot of scraping. We would always recommend using a contractor to remove these products. If you do it yourself bear in mind that you will normally contaminate the containing room and you should take steps to decontaminate the area afterwards (ie hiring and using a specialised HVAC vacuum cleaner).
Removing high-risk asbestos materials (asbestos insulation board, sprayed coating, packing, pipe insulation or lagging, etc) should never be attempted by anyone other than a professional. Removing high-risk asbestos from your own home isn't strictly illegal (as long as you don't employ anyone to help you) but it is HIGHLY dangerous and the waste can only be transported by a licensed asbestos waste carrier.
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