Asbestos cement sheets ..help

Davies5390

I am putting in a drive way and I have come across a area of roughly 2m by 1m of what looks to be white asbestos sheets underneath some hardcore.

I have spent a lot of time reading online and my plan is to get this stuff really wet hopefully I'll plan it on a rainy day, pick out al of the pieces carefully and place into rubble bags then double seal them. There's not a massive amount maybe half a dozen sheets broken up into small pieces.

If I keep this stuff really wet and wear the correct PPE which I will dispose of after also. This should be fine?

I will take it to a registered waste site once removal complete. It's at the rear of my property so no traffic just my neighbours who are aware it is there. Hence why I'm making sure I deal with it in the correct way.

It is not illegal for me to remove this safely in this manor?

Any advise would be much appreciated

Davies5390

I forgot to mention they are about 2ft down and will be filled back and alsphalt drive over the area

shaun_from_Africa

No, it's not illegal to dispose of asbestos provided that you do it correctly and it sounds sounds as if you will be.
Have you checked with your local amenity tip to make sure that they can take asbestos from householders as I believe that not all of them do this.


Have you spoken to the people doing the driveway (if you are employing someone to do this) as they may be happy to leave the sheets there and put rubble and tarmac on top.
This is something that you would have to confirm with your local council to ensure that it is permissible to do.

Davies5390

I am doing all of the ground work myself before I have a company come in and lay the tarmarc drive for me.

I will take all necessary precautions from which I have read need to be followed but as I believ it to be a reasonably small amount in terms of waste I'm assuming that I am going to be fine in doing this,

My local site does take the waste as I have checked this already.

My main concern is not removing it in a safe manor but more the neighbours seeing me do this. Aslong as I know I'm not doing anything illegal by removing it from the soil / hardcore I'm happy to carry on and do it as you never know who may make a phone call about you.

As for leaving it there as it's now been exposed and again neighbours know about it I thought the law had changed and just covering it up again could land me in trouble myself? I wouldn't want to out the drive way in and then be forced to take it back up. Plus I would like to remove it because if I moved it could possibly be dig up in the future and leave me open for responsibility ?

stator

It depends on exactly what type of material it is. You might get a small sample tested to confirm what it is.

Kiran

Rules regarding contaminated land usually only apply to taking off site. If your material is going to be capped by a 600mm layer then it doesn't present a risk to human health. This is not an uncommon practice. What you are obliged to do is let any contractor who may unearth it know that it is there.

VfM4meplse

If it's in the ground, does it actually need removing or can it be encapsulated to make it safe and then covered by the new driveway? I would personally get the professionals in for this job if it does need shifting. http://householdquotes.co.uk/asbestos-removal-cost/ Try the local authority for collection and disposal.

You know there is a good reason that neighbours may become alarmed if they see you handling asbestos.

Summer_Dreams

My local council will collect and remove it from your property for free as long as it's been double bagged!

Davesnave

VfM4meplse wrote: »

If it's in the ground, does it actually need removing or can it be encapsulated to make it safe and then covered by the new driveway?.

Err, covering it with a good depth of hardcore/tarmac will 'encapsulate' it.

As this is a moneysaving site and the above applies, I'd be inclined to advise leaving it where it is, if it's deep enough.

Davesnave

Summer_Dreams wrote: »

My local council will collect and remove it from your property for free as long as it's been double bagged!

That's very nice of them. Do they travel as far as Devon?

27cool

If it was mine I would be keeping it buried under the new drive. After all, moving it is just going to put it into land fill somewhere else. It's already in landfill.