asbestos waste removal
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Asbestos Waste Collection

When your business moves into a new building or starts work in a previously unused area of your premises, you might discover asbestos. If it’s already been taken out then we can help organise safe and legal asbestos waste collection and disposal anywhere in the UK. If it’s still within the building structure then it requires safe removal first.

It’s essential that you have a professional assessment to determine if you need a licensed contractor to remove asbestos. Following the legal guidelines around proper disposal of asbestos helps protect the health and safety of everyone who uses the space. Contact us online or call 0800 211 8390 for a free quote for asbestos waste collection today.

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Asbestos waste disposal

If you find asbestos within your business premises, the safest thing to do is bring in waste collection specialists like Business Waste for professional asbestos waste disposal. We can provide qualified, regulated, and approved contractors who offer fast and cost-effective solutions for asbestos disposal.

Removing asbestos is a hazardous process, risking the health and wellbeing of your staff and anyone in the area if it’s not carried out correctly. Specialist contractors will first seal off the area containing the hazardous material and then, wearing protective suits, carefully remove and double bag the material for safe asbestos waste disposal.

If you discover waste asbestos on your site – either loose or bagged – that hasn’t been collected and disposed of, it’s crucial you don’t move or disturb it. Undisturbed asbestos is relatively safe, but when you touch or move it the most dangerous fibres are released that can get into the lungs of anyone around.

Get a quote from Business Waste for asbestos disposal from anywhere in the UK today. Within hours you can have specialist waste management disposal contractors on-site to remove asbestos from your business and ensure the safe and legal disposal of asbestos to protect your staff, business, and the environment.

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Who needs asbestos 
waste removal?

Businesses that own or use any buildings containing asbestos require asbestos waste removal. Asbestos was banned in the UK in 1999, which means any building constructed before then could contain asbestos. If your company uses such an older building, then it’s advisable to conduct an asbestos survey when you move in to identify if it’s there.

The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 means the owner or manager of any commercial property has a duty of care around asbestos. Having a management plan is therefore a legal requirement when there’s asbestos found anywhere across your business premises.

In theory, any business could need asbestos waste removal – whether you work in retail, industry, construction, the public or private sector. Some of the common places that require asbestos waste removing include:

How does 
asbstos waste collection work?

  1. Select your free bins

    It’s quick and easy to organise commercial waste collection for your business.

    Simply start by telling us the:

    • Type of waste you need removing
    • Size of bins you require
    • Number of bins you want

    We’ll provide you with a free quote.

  2. Arrange delivery

    When you’re happy with the type, number, and size of free bins, tell us when you need your bins delivering.

    Let us know about any access issues where you want the bins delivering – such as locked gates, access codes and times. We’ll get you up and running in no time.

  3. Fill up your bin

    After the free bins arrive at your chosen location, fill them up with the agreed waste type.

    Make sure you remain within any weight limits for the specific waste type and bin size.

  4. Get your business waste collected

    We’ll arrange waste collection at a time and frequency to suit you and the amount of waste you have.

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What is 
asbestos waste?

Asbestos waste is any kind of product or material containing asbestos that’s ready for disposal. It’s commonly found within building materials but can also cover contaminated equipment – such as clothing, cleaning rags, and protective gear. This classes as hazardous waste and requires specialist disposal.

Asbestos is a natural mineral made up of flexible fibres resistant to heat, electricity, and corrosion. For these reasons it was used in construction up until around 1980. However, links between asbestos exposure and serious/fatal diseases such as asbestosis and mesothelioma mean its use was stopped and it requires specialist removal of asbestos waste today.

Common asbestos waste types can include:

  • Ceiling coatings and cavities
  • Floor tiles and cavities
  • Insulation boards
  • Lagging
  • Roofing felt
  • Wall, beam, and column coatings
asbestos in a wall.

How to get rid of asbestos

The safest way to get rid of asbestos is to use an experienced asbestos removal specialist. This includes whether you need to arrange asbestos disposal from a business or household, and whether the asbestos is still within a building’s structure (such as the walls or ceiling) or if it’s already bagged up.

Follow these steps to get rid of asbestos safely:

  • Contact us onlineor call 0800 211 8390 for a free quote for asbestos collection – we’ll provide a bespoke price with no obligation.
  • Book a day and one of our approved specialist asbestos contractors will come to your location.
  • Avoid touching or moving the asbestos if possible to minimise the risk of exposure. If you must handle it then wear gloves, a dust mask, and safety goggles.
  • Don’t break up the asbestos into smaller parts, as this can create asbestos dust that’s breathed in and can cause health issues. If asbestos dust arises try to spray it with water to reduce the dust particles.
  • On the day, a licensed contractor will come and safely remove the asbestos waste, wearing appropriate protective gear and causing minimum disturbance. They’ll transport it to an appropriate disposal facility, and you’ll receive a free duty of care certificate that confirms the safe and legal disposal of asbestos waste.

What happens to 
asbestos waste?

Once you identify asbestos in your business, it’s important you arrange specialist removal. This ensures qualified, experienced professionals with the proper protective equipment and knowledge remove it in the safest way possible – avoiding further exposure for anyone else.

After it’s removed – or if you moved to a building where asbestos waste was already taken out – you need to store it safely. The Environment Agency details the proper procedures. As asbestos classes as hazardous waste, you must double bag it or securely wrap it if it doesn’t fit into an asbestos waste bag.

You must then store these filled asbestos waste bags in secure and lockable containers. Often these are asbestos skips. If you only have a small amount of asbestos waste, you can use professional asbestos waste collection solutions such as Business Waste.

The asbestos waste is transported safely in a skip or separate compartment that avoids contamination to a landfill site with a permit authorising acceptance of asbestos. It’s then added to landfill in the UK, which is currently the only legal option – although research into more eco-friendly chemical process to destroy it are ongoing.

Asbestos waste 
facts and stats

There’s no safe level of asbestos exposure but the control limit is 0.1 asbestos fibres per cubic centimetre of air – defining asbestos waste. When more than this amount is found in building materials it’s classed as hazardous waste. Asbestos fibres are believed to consist of at least 3000 products.

Sadly, around 5,000 people die every year in the UK due to asbestos related diseases developed after exposure, usually many years before.

Despite asbestos being banned since 1999 in the UK, it’s estimated that 1.5 million buildings still contain six million tonnes of asbestos. Some of the main buildings in the UK that contain asbestos are:

  • 94% of hospitals
  • 80% of schools
  • 74% of universities

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Asbestos waste
FAQs

  • What is asbestos?

    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.

  • What materials contain asbestos?

    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
  • How long has asbestos been used for?

    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).

  • When does asbestos become a hazard?

    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.

  • Why is asbestos a hazard?

    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.

  • How can I remove asbestos?

    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.

  • Where can I dispose of asbestos?

    You can dispose of asbestos by arranging removal by a licensed asbestos specialist. They will come to your business or home and transport the asbestos materials for safe disposal at an appropriate facility. Services are available to remove asbestos from the structure or to simply collect bagged up asbestos ready for disposal.

    To dispose of asbestos from a household you should contact your local council or authority to see what asbestos disposal services are available. This may include a collection service, or you might be able to dispose of asbestos at your local tip or household waste recycling centre (HWRC). Options vary depending on your location.

  • How do you dispose of asbestos sheets in the UK?

    Safe asbestos sheet disposal is vital from any business or home to reduce the risk of exposure to the hazardous materials. Handle any sheets with care and wear gloves, a dust mask, and goggles. Avoid touching and breaking up asbestos sheets where possible, as this increases the risk of exposure to dangerous dust.

    Asbestos sheet disposal follows the same steps as getting rid of any other kind of asbestos. The best option is to use a specialist asbestos removal contractor to collect and dispose of any sheets. Households should contact the local authority to see if they provide an asbestos collection service or if you can take asbestos sheets to the tip for safe disposal.

  • What are the different types of diseases asbestos causes?

    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.
  • Can you put asbestos in a skip?

    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.

  • Can asbestos be recycled?

    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.

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Get a fast FREE quote for your asbestos waste collection

  • Free quote within 1 hr
  • Any type of asbestos waste
  • FREE bins and delivery
  • We cover all of the UK

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