Council urges community to be Asbestos Aware

Does your home contain asbestos? How would you know if it did?

Sunshine Coast Council is urging the community to learn more about asbestos during National Asbestos Awareness Week from November 19 – 25.

The awareness campaign was developed to educate homeowners, renovators, handymen and tradespeople about the dangers of asbestos and how to manage it safely.

Mayor Mark Jamieson said those affected by asbestos-related diseases would continue to increase unless we all took the warnings about asbestos seriously and learnt how to manage and dispose of these materials safely.

“The popularity of home renovation programs has fuelled a boom in home renovations and now more than ever, all homeowners, renovators, tradies and handymen need to make it their business to get to know asbestos and learn how to protect themselves and families from dangerous asbestos fibres,” Mayor Jamieson said.

“Asbestos removal is extremely hazardous and council strongly recommends that do-it-yourself renovators use a licensed operator to carry out the removal.”

Peter Dunphy, Founding Chair of the Asbestos Education Committee heading the national campaign said asbestos was not only found in fibro homes.

“Australia was among one of the largest consumers of asbestos-containing materials in the world with asbestos-containing products still found in 1 in 3 brick, weatherboard, fibro or clad homes built or renovated before 1987,” Mr Dunphy said.

“Asbestos was used in the manufacture of a broad range of products including under floor coverings, behind wall and floor tiles, in cement floors, internal and external walls, ceilings and ceiling space (insulation), eaves, garages, roofs, around hot water pipes, fences, extensions to homes, garages, outdoor toilets, backyard and farm structures, chook sheds and even dog kennels.”

Without knowing where asbestos-containing products might be located or how to manage and dispose of asbestos safely, Australian’s play a risky game of renovation roulette if they disturb asbestos-containing materials and release fibres that can be inhaled, which may cause asbestos-related diseases including malignant mesothelioma.

It’s not possible to identify if a fibre cement product contains asbestos by sight. The only way to be certain is to have a sample tested by an accredited laboratory.

When it comes to asbestos, don’t play Renovation Roulette - Don’t cut it, don’t drill it, don’t drop it, don’t sand it, don’t saw it, don’t scrape it, don’t scrub it, don’t dismantle it, don’t tip it, don’t waterblast it, don’t demolish it, and whatever you do don’t dump it.

Asbestos may be disposed of at council’s Caloundra and Nambour landfill sites, Monday to Friday between 7:30am and 4:00pm.

An application for disposal of asbestos must be lodged with council’s Waste and Resource Management Unit no later than 48 hours prior to the proposed disposal date.

Only properties within the Sunshine Coast Council area can dispose asbestos at council landfills.

Information about asbestos and the safe management of these materials can be found at council offices.

Visit council’s website for a Disposal of Asbestos application form.

Learn how to identify and safely manage asbestos-containing materials commonly found in and around homes by visiting www.asbestosawareness.com.au