How to control asbestos pollution

This section gives advice on how to remove asbestos from your home. If your property is more than 15 years old, it's possible that it contains materials that contain asbestos. Common locations are listed below but there may be others in your home - so if in doubt, leave them untouched and seek expert advice.

Common locations of asbestos:

• Asbestos cement on garage or shed roofs
• Asbestos cement shed and garage wall panels
• Asbestos cement drain pipes
• Asbestos cement or insulation board soffit, infill panels and partitions
• Asbestos cement on the side of bath panels

If your home is rented, your landlord may have relevant information.

What to do if you have asbestos in your home:

• The general rule is to always leave asbestos alone, it's usually safe unless it's damaged or disturbed
• Paint indoor materials with an alkali resistant paint such as PVA emulsion, and never sand, drill or saw asbestos materials
• Always seek advice before thinking of removing asbestos and follow the basic rules below if carrying out asbestos cement removal work.

Do not attempt to remove asbestos lagging, spray coatings or large areas of insulation board by yourself as these materials can only be safely removed by a licensed contractor. Sometimes it will be necessary to take a sample, for example to identify the type of asbestos.

Safe asbestos cement removal:

Asbestos cement can be safely removed by remembering these basic rules:

• Prepare the work area - remove any unnecessary items, cover the floor and surfaces with disposable polythene sheeting
• Wear protective clothing- disposable overall with hood, disposable paper face mask (for use with asbestos) and rubber or disposable gloves
• Damp down - use a plant sprayer or hosepipe but don't soak the area as this will make cleaning up more difficult
• Remove the asbestos without breaking it up, wrap in polythene sheeting or bags and seal with tape
• Visually inspect the area and clear up any debris by hand - wipe down with disposable damp clothes. Never use a vacuum cleaner as this will just spread dust around
• Pick up polythene sheeting and remove protective clothing and dispose of both as asbestos waste

Disposal of asbestos waste:

Contact the Environmental Agency on 03708 506506. They can provide details of companies who are registered to collect hazardous waste. Or alternatively, you may wish to contact Asbestos Removal Contractors Association on 01283 531 126, which can provide you with more advice.

As a householder, if you intend to transport asbestos cement waste in your own vehicle, you do not need to be a registered carrier provided that it is your own waste.

However, you should take the following steps to ensure that asbestos does not contaminate your car:

• Spray sheets of asbestos cement with water
• Double wrap or double bag the asbestos cement with heavy duty polythene
• Ensure the wrapping is secured with tape
• Make sure vehicle occupants do not have access to the asbestos waste

Asbestos do's and don'ts:

• Don't panic if you think you have asbestos in your home - it's usually only a problem if it's disturbed
• Do treat asbestos with respect
• Don't drill, saw or disturb materials that contain asbestos
• Do seek advice if you think you've got a problem with asbestos in your home

Contact environmental health:

Your first point of contact for the Environmental Health and Protection Department is through our call centre, where we have trained and experienced operators ready to listen to your concerns and to give you the information you need.

We are available to take your calls from 9am to 5pm Monday to Fridays on:

Tel: 020 7364 5008
Fax: 020 7364 6831
Email: environmentalhealth@towerhamlets.gov.uk

For further information contact:

Environmental Health
Environmental Protection
Mulberry Place (AH)
PO Box 55739
5 Clove Crescent
London E14 2BG