Asbestos Waste Collection

Asbestos comes from the Greek word for inextinguishable. It refers to two distinct groups of fibrous minerals found naturally in the earth:

• Chrysotile or white asbestos, a magnesium silicate, derived from serpentine rock.
• Amosite or brown asbestos and crocidolite or blue asbestos (anthophyllite, tremolite and actinolite – of a lesser commercial significance) derived from amphiboles rock.

There are at least 30 types of asbestiform minerals but only these two have any industrial significance. Different asbestos types have good resistance to high temperatures, acids and alkalis, which made them great to for construction and industrial use – until links between exposure to asbestos and serious diseases were made.

A wide range of materials can contain asbestos. It’s mainly found in items within buildings such as:

• Cement pipes and fittings
• Paints, coatings, and sealants
• Fire hoses
• Coal and wood burning stove gaskets
• Theatre curtains

Within the home some items may include asbestos are:

• Handheld dryers
• Electric blankets
• Lamp sockets
• Roof slates
• Windowsills, bath panels, draining boards, worktops, and ducts

Some of the first evidence of asbestos date back around 4,500 years in Finland. Here it was used to strengthen pots and utensils. In the UK its history is more recent when ships, steam engines and other power generating machinery began to take advantage of its properties in the 1870s.

The main sources of chrysotile asbestos – the commonest fibre in industrial use – were first mined in Quebec, British Columbia, South Africa, Russia, Italy, America, Greece, and Cyprus. Crocidolite was mined in South Africa and Australia, while amosite was mined in Australia and South Africa (the name amosite derives from AMOSA – Asbestos Mines of South Africa).

Asbestos isn’t always an immediate hazard. If it’s maintained in a good condition, it’s recommended you leave asbestos alone and regularly check its condition. Only when you disturb or damage asbestos-containing materials (ACM) does the risk of exposure increase. Damage to the materials can separate the fibres so they become airborne and hazardous.

It was discovered in the 1930s that when microscopic asbestos fibres (up to 100 times finer than a human hair) become airborne, you may inhale them. The fibres are so slow to move that they can’t be dispelled from the lungs and can cause cancer. When asbestos is disturbed, these fibres can be inhaled and cause significant respiratory health problems.

Researchers still haven’t determined a safe level of exposure. We know the greater and longer the exposure, the higher risk of contracting an asbestos-related disease.

Asbestos-related diseases kill more people than any other single work-related cause in the UK. There’s a long period between exposure and onset of the disease (15 to 60 years). Therefore, most associated deaths today are from exposure during the 1950s and 1960s when asbestos was widely used.

You should never try to remove asbestos yourself, as once it’s disturbed it can release fibres that may cause disease in later life. The Health and Safety Executive has stringent regulations for asbestos waste removal – normally it should be handled by licensed operators.

If you find asbestos, carry out a thorough risk assessment and restrict the number of people with access to as few as possible. Anyone dealing with asbestos removal should refer to the HSE’s EM9 sheet, which lays out the law in handling it wherever you are in the UK.

HSE direction says all waste should be double-bagged or double wrapped in stout plastic sheeting with the correct warning signs attached. If a skip is used, it must be lockable and for asbestos waste only. It’s not acceptable or safe to put waste – no matter how well wrapped – in a standard skip.

The best thing to do is to leave asbestos waste disposal to professionals. They know what they’re doing, have effective procedures in place, and will remove hazardous waste with skill and care to make sure nobody and nothing remains contaminated.

Asbestos exposure can lead to a range of serious and possibly fatal diseases many years later. Some of the main types of diseases asbestos exposure may cause include:

• Asbestosis – Inhaling asbestos dust can lead to asbestosis, which normally takes at least ten years to emerge. It involves scarring the lungs and symptoms include breathlessness, constant coughing, and wheezing.
• Mesothelioma – This is a common type of cancer in the lining of the lungs that often takes many years to develop after asbestos exposure. The fibres get stuck in the lungs and damage them.
• Bronchial and lung cancer – Various types of lung cancer are common after developing asbestosis, including bronchial cancer. Tumours may develop in the lungs and lung linings, but it normally takes 15 to 30 years to emerge.
• Pleural plaques – Thickened tissue in the lining of lungs can be pleural plaques, which are noncancerous. Often there may be no symptoms, but they can cause pain and discomfort in the lung and are a sign of asbestos exposure.
• Pleural effusion – A build-up of excess fluid between pleura layers (the lung and chest wall) leads to pleural effusion. This may develop into pleural thickening and be linked to inhaling asbestos fibres.
• Diffuse pleural thickening – Scarring in the pleura as a result of asbestos exposure may affect one or both lungs. This can cause thickening and constriction of the lungs, often leading to pleurisy and breathlessness. It could indicate mesothelioma or lung disease.

To dispose of asbestos, you must double bag it – ideally in specific asbestos waste bags – or secure it safely. Then you can place it in a covered and locked skip with just asbestos waste or other hazardous waste to avoid contamination. Always check with the skip provider or asbestos waste collection company whether you can put asbestos in a skip or not.

No, asbestos is a hazardous material that you cannot currently recycle in the UK. Waste asbestos goes to landfill with a specific permit allowing the site to accept asbestos. Research is ongoing to try and develop safe and environmentally friendly ways to convert asbestos into new materials. However, legally it must go to landfill in the UK at the moment.