It’s still killing around 100 people a week – with six million tonnes lodged in our homes, schools, hospitals and other buildings

Asbestos may have been banned in the UK in 1999 but it still kills thousands of people every year. Before the ban it was regularly used in construction between the 1930s and 1990s. Asbestos can be found today in garage roof tiles, floor tiles, pipe lagging, boiler flue pipes, cold water storage tanks and in ceilings decorated with Artex textured coating.  Other common areas are garage roof tiles, window frames and soffits – the exposed underside of a roof overhang. James Bullen, operations manager at Asbestos Gone, a licensed removal firm, says it has been widely used in residential properties. “You can’t really go down the road without seeing it. They reckon it may be 100 years before it is all gone from the UK.”

What are the risks?

While this may sound frightening, asbestos only poses a risk if the deadly microscopic asbestos fibres are released into the air and breathed in. Then you could be at long-term risk of developing lung cancer or asbestosis, a fatal hardening of the lungs. But mesothelioma (a cancer that forms in the lining of the chest or abdomen) is the biggest killer. The The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said that if asbestos materials are in good condition and left alone or covered up, they should present very low risk. 

But accidents happen, for instance when a burst pipe brings down an Artex ceiling and the dust goes everywhere. Home improvement projects can also disturb the ticking timebomb. Bullen said: “People pull Artex ceilings down. They don’t even think twice about it, or they cut spotlights into the ceiling not realising it contains asbestos.” Professional removal can cost £2,000-£4,000 for a whole house, depending on the number of rooms. Increasingly people choose to skim over Artex ceilings. While this completely encloses the material it doesn’t alert future owners that a layer of asbestos containing material is lurking in their ceiling. Nor does it remove the hidden hazard.

Homebuyer reports & asbestos surveys

Charles Bradshaw, a Chartered Surveyor, said a building survey, such as a Homebuyer Report, should pick up the presence of asbestos. He said: “I would be able to spot asbestos in an older home. As a surveyor you are looking for defects and one of those is asbestos.” If asbestos containing materials (ACMs) are present in a property it can affect its value. Bradshaw said: “Asbestos is expensive to remove. I would look at the approximate cost of removal and devalue the property by double that amount because of all the hassle involved.”

When surveyors identify materials that they suspect to contain asbestos, they will always recommend a specialist asbestos survey. It’s often not possible to tell if a material contains asbestos just by looking at it, so it’s essential to have it tested by an expert.

There are two types of asbestos survey:-

Management survey: This is the standard survey and aims to locate the presence and extent of any asbestos containing materials (ACMs) which could be disturbed during normal occupancy or maintenance. The inspection should include a complete visual inspection and the careful collection and lab analysis of samples. The report will identify the location, type and condition of any ACMs and recommend ways to manage the risk to protect the health of you and your family.

Refurbishment/demolition survey: This survey is a legal responsibility when an older building (or a part of it) is to be refurbished or demolished, especially if a surveyor has highlighted the possible presence of asbestos. The purpose of this survey is to ensure all asbestos is safely removed before work starts on site. This way, you can be clear about specialist costs for removal and factor them in. Homeowners should give this survey report to designers and contractors who may be bidding for the building work.

Where can asbestos hazards be found in the home?

The Health and Safety (HSE) Executive has produced a handy guide to the main places where asbestos may be found within a home.

Inside the home they include: vinyl floor tiles, fascia boards, cement tiles, cement water tank, cement pipe lagging, insulation board,  Artex/textured coating, ceiling tiles, boiler flue pipe, fireplace panel, understairs cement board, bath panel, damp proof course and more.

Outside a property they include: cement tiles, cement guttering, cement downpipe, soffit boards, asbestos cement roof, window rope seal, cement sheets and boards. This list is not exhaustive.

Chrysotile (white asbestos) is the most widely used asbestos. It can be found today in the roofs, ceilings, walls and floors of buildings. Manufacturers also used chrysotile asbestos in insulation for pipes, ducts and appliances. This is the least dangerous form of asbestos as it’s less friable (easily crumbled) and less likely to release fibres into the air, but it is still a highly hazardous material and can cause serious health problems if inhaled.

The most dangerous types of asbestos are crocidolite (blue asbestos) and amosite (brown asbestos). They were banned in 1985. The final ban was extended to include white asbestos in 1999.

How to tackle the toxic legacy

In the UK, there are strict regulations on the safe management and disposal of asbestos. The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 places a duty on building owners, employers and contractors to identify and manage the risks associated with asbestos-containing materials.

The first step in dealing with asbestos in older properties is to identify if it is present. If a survey and testing confirm the presence of asbestos in a building, the next step is to assess the risk. This will depend on the condition of the materials, type of asbestos and the likelihood of it being disturbed. Experts say usually the best thing to do is leave asbestos material that is in good condition alone.  Remember to check regularly for signs of wear and tear that may release asbestos fibres. If asbestos material becomes damaged or you are going to make changes to your home that might disturb it, for example knocking down walls or replacing soffits, then removal by a professional is needed.

It's essential to contact a specialist asbestos removal firm before beginning any building work. This is because removal poses the greatest risk of fibre release. Licensed contractors are trained and equipped to safely remove and dispose of asbestos as hazardous waste. The workers will wear approved respirators, gloves and other protective clothing. They will seal off the work area from the rest of the house using plastic sheeting and duct tape to avoid spreading or tracking of asbestos dust into other areas. Licensed by the Environment Agency, they will also make sure everything will be disposed of in line with the latest regulations.

Chris Heron, an asbestos surveyor for Blue Star Asbestos, said: “Builders should never be doing this work because there is special training, insurance and medical screening for people removing asbestos.” Unfortunately, some builders and decorators are blasé about the health risks and will offer to remove asbestos on the cheap. Bullen said: “There are people in the building trade who really don’t care. We get called in where one trade has gone in and disturbed a lot of asbestos and another trade has gone in and called us out and we have to shut down the whole site until it’s all safely removed.”

For advice contact the Environment Agency or your local environmental health department.

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