Asbestos- Turning a blind eye?

mymedi

Niv wrote: »

This is nonsense. It is not biodegradable.

Sorry. Thanks for clarifying this.
What I should've said is that your body can actually remove white asbestos over a period of time. It's not biodegradable, but it also doesn't get stuck to you forever unless you are constantly exposed.

ellajuk

I enquired with my council about the asbestos on my garage roof and about the protocol of disposing it. They replied `why?` !!!

Niv

mymedi wrote: »

Sorry. Thanks for clarifying this.
What I should've said is that your body can actually remove white asbestos over a period of time. It's not biodegradable, but it also doesn't get stuck to you forever unless you are constantly exposed.

That's ok. White asbestos is a bit like bit of cotton where brown is more stiff like a pin for example. Due to this white asbestos is much harder to inhale into your lungs and therefore gets swallowed and simply goes through your digestive system and comes out the other end (like sweet corn husks :-P). Brown however is more easily inhaled and is therefore taken into the lungs where it cannot get out (this would be the same for white if it found its way there), when in the lung it does not definitely cause cancer etc. but something called plural plaques that is where the body produces scar tissue around the fibre (because the asbestos is a foreign body that your body cannot get rid of), this scar tissue reduces your lung capacity, over time this can have a notable effect but a small one off exposure is unlikely to (unless it gets cancerous).

Niv

Niv

ellajuk wrote: »

I enquired with my council about the asbestos on my garage roof and about the protocol of disposing it. They replied `why?` !!!

They are right to ask. If it is in good condition there is no reason to remove it. I assume in this case it is asbestos cement, pretty harmless for the reasons I state in a previous post (although is can contain a little bit of blue).

cyclonebri1

stebiz wrote: »

Who rips or lino, floor tiles, putty, artex, insulation boards, soffits, corrugated sheets without either knowing or caring? My cost is adding about 1.5k to my bill but will be cleaned properly and air tested afterwards.

Thoughts?

So, do you actually have a question or are you simply opening a discussion?? If the latter it would probably be best transferred to the brick layers section

stebiz

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

So, do you actually have a question or are you simply opening a discussion?? If the latter it would probably be best transferred to the brick layers section

What??????

jackyann

When we had our boiler replaced, the boiler room was found to have asbestos in it, and we had to pay for the guys in suits and the shower unit etc.etc.
Several people stopped at the front of the house to tell me that someone-or-other would have done it cheaper with out all that stuff, that I must have more money than sense, that this was elf'n'safety gone mad etc. etc.
I asked them if they remembered my friend X, a kind woman, well known in the neighbourhood for her voluntary work and helpfulness to a lot of people. Most of them did, and said how sad her recent death, age 54 was. I told them that she died of mesothelioma, almost certainly contracted during amateur DIY work.
I have also nursed people with varying grades of asbestosis, and known their colleagues who didn't suffer at all.

We don't know enough about risk & exposure to know how different people react to it.
Your local building inspector will be able to offer advice - but of course, once you have contacted him, you can't claim ignorance!

OP - you have a variety of views here, I hope it helps you decide what risk you are happy to run on behalf of yourself and those around you.

stebiz

jackyann wrote: »

When we had our boiler replaced, the boiler room was found to have asbestos in it, and we had to pay for the guys in suits and the shower unit etc.etc.
Several people stopped at the front of the house to tell me that someone-or-other would have done it cheaper with out all that stuff, that I must have more money than sense, that this was elf'n'safety gone mad etc. etc.
I asked them if they remembered my friend X, a kind woman, well known in the neighbourhood for her voluntary work and helpfulness to a lot of people. Most of them did, and said how sad her recent death, age 54 was. I told them that she died of mesothelioma, almost certainly contracted during amateur DIY work.
I have also nursed people with varying grades of asbestosis, and known their colleagues who didn't suffer at all.

We don't know enough about risk & exposure to know how different people react to it.
Your local building inspector will be able to offer advice - but of course, once you have contacted him, you can't claim ignorance!

OP - you have a variety of views here, I hope it helps you decide what risk you are happy to run on behalf of yourself and those around you.

Thanks. I had already decided and the guys are coming out next week to remove it professionally. I personally feel happy with that although even I myself feel like it is like getting a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

I've had loads of people say don't bother but to be honest what would have been the point have a full asbestos report on my property if I didn't act on it. At least now I'll know after all my refurb that the house is clear of the stuff and will certainly enhance it's value for the future.

I too have known people suffer from this and for £1,500 to have it removed against a builder who'd charge a few hundred is money well spent in my eyes.

jackyann

Thanks for the reply. You will never know if it would have affected you or someone else, but you do know that you have done your best.
I do take the point that here is an industry riding on this. However, we are talking about a long gap between exposure & disease, and we only have some ideas about other pre-disposing factors.
I would run risks with stuff I know about and understand - where I don't I take good advice & do the best I can.

mighty_mondo

stebiz - ive just read this thread and I have to say i am horrified by some of the 'advice' offerred here

I am glad you are doing things the right way and calling in the experts to remove the asbestos

I am a Health & Safety advisor so I am well aware of the various types and risks posed but I wont bore you or go into details, Im just glad you are not diy'ing it - i dread to think how many people are exposing themselves to asbestos and contaminating their home and exposing all their family including their kids!

madness!