Builders left asbestos in Garden - Help!

Fizzy80

We employed some builders to remove a couple of old concrete and white asbestos roofed garages last summer. In doing so we understood they would remove it safely and that they had a licence to dispose of the asbestos. When demolishing the garages, they did not put anything down on the ground, didn't not wet the roof or manage to keep it intact. There were bits of asbestos roof left in the ground. We gave them the opportunity to remove it, but they only did half a job, so there is still lumps of roof out the back. 
I'm a bit worried about how dangerous this could be and also me and my daughter tested positive for high levels of arsenic recently - coincidence? We can't get the builder to return to remedy this and a couple of other jobs that he needed to finish. 
Any advice on reporting this to the correct authorities?
Also, should we get the soil tested for contamination?
Confused about what process I should follow. 
Many thanks!
  

Jeepers_Creepers

I guess your local LA - Trading Standards and Environmental Health.

I wouldn't be inclined to give this company any further opportunity to clean it up as it's pretty obvious they are not working within acceptable parameters, so I think we can all guess where this debris would end up if they took it away.

Niv

I would be surprised if the council removed this for you. I suspect if you contact them they will take down the details of the builder and you would hear no more from them on the matter. 
If it were me, I would collect up the broken pieces of cement, double bag it and leave it in the corner of the garden until the HWRC's are open (if they aren't) then book it in - assuming they accept asbestos waste. You can mask up if it makes you feel better, but in real terms it would make little difference as its outside and wet this time of year.

I wouldn't bother getting the soil tested, at best it sounds like you are talking about concrete left on the surface (of the grass?) so you know there could be some traces (this would have been the case even if the builders had removed it at the time). Once the wind blows (and you mow?), it will effectively be gone.

Regarding your arsenic comment, yes its complete coincidence. The only product I have come across where they two are mixed are VERY old cabling in BT telephone exchanges where it was put there to kill rodents. 

Phil4432

I've been in the same situation myself, but got an asbestos company to sort it out the next day.
Builders are generally not licensed to touch asbestos, and its always best to have an asbestos company deal with anything asbestos related.

You are dealing with cowboys, they'll probably just change their company name and get away with it completely without consequence.  That's British standards unfortunately.  I wrote to every authority I could think of with my situation, no one really cared.

Definitely give it a go, but do so without telling the builders.  That way, they can't change their company name and do a runner.

Only a doctor can comment on your daughters test results.  But I'd say that unless she was putting her nose directly to it, it may not be related.  Think about all the old concrete asbestos shed/garage roofs around!

TELLIT01

Some councils will provide plastic sheeting etc for you to package the asbestos up and accept it at recycling centres by arrangement.  Check yours to see what they can do, although options are probably limited at present.

Alias_Omega

Asbestos is a nightmare to get rid of correctly, however you can wear a mask / suit / gloves to move it. You can even wet it to make it safe to handle.

I suspect this is from the roof, if so it will be the white stuff, which isn't as bad i believe as the blue stuff. 

You could -

• Dig a deep hole (spade deep), bury it?
• Obtain some Asbestos Bags, Double Bag it, Dispose of it correctly (a right pain in the !!!!!! with the council
  

Worst case...  

• Bag it up, stick it in the bin ~ to head to the landfill?

FreeBear

Alias_Omega said: You could -

• Dig a deep hole (spade deep), bury it?
  

No. Burying it the garden just leaves the problem for someone else to deal with. They may well not recognise it as a problem and changes in regulations could impose greater costs on them.

Do it properly now - Double bag and dispose of at a licensed disposal site.

Phil4432

Alias_Omega said:

Asbestos is a nightmare to get rid of correctly, however you can wear a mask / suit / gloves to move it. You can even wet it to make it safe to handle.

I suspect this is from the roof, if so it will be the white stuff, which isn't as bad i believe as the blue stuff. 

You could -

• Dig a deep hole (spade deep), bury it?
• Obtain some Asbestos Bags, Double Bag it, Dispose of it correctly (a right pain in the !!!!!! with the council
  

Worst case...  

• Bag it up, stick it in the bin ~ to head to the landfill?

No, don't bury hazardous waste.  Contact your council.

Mickey666

people have a tendency to panic when the 'A' word is mentioned, but removing and disposing of 'asbestos cement' garages and similar buildings is not a difficult or particularly dangerous job.  That's why it's not a licensed activity, meaning that anyone can do it, even DIYers.
Sure, care is needed and a few sensible precautions, but not really anything more than other DIY jobs involving potentially dangerous power tools etc.
Lots of info and guidance online, like this for example: https://www.armco.org.uk/asbestos-survey-news/asbestos-garage-shed-removal/
When all the material has been double-bagged, there are many council tips that will accept it.  Check local council waste disposal websites for details.

Fizzy80

Niv said:

I would be surprised if the council removed this for you. I suspect if you contact them they will take down the details of the builder and you would hear no more from them on the matter. 
If it were me, I would collect up the broken pieces of cement, double bag it and leave it in the corner of the garden until the HWRC's are open (if they aren't) then book it in - assuming they accept asbestos waste. You can mask up if it makes you feel better, but in real terms it would make little difference as its outside and wet this time of year.

I wouldn't bother getting the soil tested, at best it sounds like you are talking about concrete left on the surface (of the grass?) so you know there could be some traces (this would have been the case even if the builders had removed it at the time). Once the wind blows (and you mow?), it will effectively be gone.

Regarding your arsenic comment, yes its complete coincidence. The only product I have come across where they two are mixed are VERY old cabling in BT telephone exchanges where it was put there to kill rodents. 

Thanks for the comment re the arsenic, the timing was suspect but good to know its unlikely.... 

greatcrested

Surely the answer is to tell the builders they won't be paid till they have finished the job and cleared the area?