Removing old fireplace - is there an Asbestos risk?

dannyboy10000

Hi all,

I'm about rip out an old open fireplace in preparation to have a woodburner installed. Someone has said the formed concrete inner to the rear of the fireplace could be asbestos, is this right? I have already spoken to a few experienced people, and no one else has mentioned it could be asbestos.

Any thoughts appreciated

Fluff15

Yes, your friend is correct. But, it depends on what exactly is behind the fire.

http://www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos/assets/docs/beware-asbestos-reference-cards.pdf

http://amac.org.uk/guide.html

Please be careful, ring your local authority to see whether they have local disposable facilities. Please do not put this into the normal bin! You can hire a UKAS accredited lab to take samples, if you're worried.

dannyboy10000

Thanks, so it would be asbestos cement, do you think?

Asbestos-cement products
(Asbestos content mainly 10-15 percent, but sometimes up to 40 percent.)
Asbestos-cement is the most widely used asbestos material. It is found in many types of building as profiled sheets for roofing and wall-cladding, in flat sheets and partition boards for linings to walls and ceilings, in bath panels, soffit boards, fire surrounds, flue pipes, cold water tanks and as roofing tiles and slates. It has been commonly used as roofing and cladding for garages and sheds and also in guttering and drainpipes.

Asbestos cement products are unlikely to release high levels of fibres because of the way they are made, unless they are subject to extreme abrasion.

You do not need a 'licence' to handle products containing asbestos cement.