Asbestos
Asbestos is a known carcinogen. The inhalation of asbestos fibres is known to cause mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis. Asbestos poses a risk to health by inhalation whenever asbestos fibres become airborne and people are exposed to these fibres.
Disturbing asbestos may cause fine asbestos fibres to become airborne, which can be breathed in and penetrate the deepest parts of the lungs. Repairs and renovations that involve removing, cleaning, cutting, drilling, sanding or painting can all release dangerous fibres into the air.
The NSW Government has developed a Local Government fact sheet which covers:
- where asbestos may be found in a typical home
- who to contact
- safe management, removal and disposal of asbestos
All local councils are requested to incorporate this document onto their websites to provide consistent and accurate information to the NSW community.
Asbestos is accepted at some of Council’s Waste Management Facilities and charges for its disposal apply (see Fees and Charges). Persons wishing to dispose of asbestos at a Council facility must contact Council and make an appointment prior to its delivery.
Waste Locate
To ensure asbestos & waste tyres end up in the right place, new monitoring requirements are now in force in NSW. Waste transporters are required to report the movement of:
- more than 100kg of asbestos waste (including asbestos contaminated soil) or more than 10 square meters of asbestos sheeting
- waste tyres greater than 200kg or more than 20 waste tyres, whichever weighs less
Asbestos/waste tyre transporters and facilities receiving these wastes must report movement of this waste to the EPA. To help industry meet their legal obligations, the EPA has developed an easy online tool, WasteLocate.
All facilities in NSW that accept asbestos waste and/or waste tyres must display a WasteLocate plate with a unique QRid code for that facility. These plates have been installed at the Manildra, Canowindra and Eugowra facilities. Transporters arriving at the waste facility must scan the plate and log into WasteLocate to confirm delivery of the load.