Before the risks of asbestos were clear and asbestos was banned in 1993, asbestos was widely used in construction. As a result, asbestos is often found in older houses, despite being harmful to our health. What is asbestos and what should you do if you have asbestos in your home? Read about it in this article.
What is asbestos anyway?
Asbestos is a collective name for about six natural minerals. These minerals have a fibre structure and are very strong, hard-wearing, cheap and fire-resistant. It is precisely these properties that made asbestos widely used in construction from the 1940s to the 1980s.
Since 1993, the use and application of asbestos has been banned because research showed that asbestos is very bad for health. Where asbestos poses potential health risks, or during renovations or demolition work, asbestos in the home should therefore be removed by an asbestos removal company.
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Different types of asbestos
The six different types of asbestos each have their own name, but are often named by the colour of the asbestos fibre. For example, think blue and white asbestos. There are 3 types of asbestos that have been used for commercial purposes and are therefore the most common: white, brown and blue asbestos.
In the Netherlands, white asbestos, or chrysotile, is by far the most commonly used. Blue asbestos (amosite) and brown asbestos (crocidolite) are more dangerous than white asbestos. See a list of asbestos types below.
| Colours of asbestos | |
|---|---|
| Chysotile | White asbestos |
| Tremolite | Grey asbestos |
| Actinolite | Green asbestos |
| Anthophyllite | Yellow asbestos |
| Crocidolite | Blue asbestos |
| Amosite | Brown asbestos |
Asbestos can be divided into two groups in addition to colour: bonded and loose-bound asbestos.
Bonded asbestos
When asbestos fibres have been used to reinforce another material and are therefore trapped in this material, we speak of bonded asbestos. With this type of asbestos, there is little chance of asbestos fibres being released during processing or demolition. An example of bonded asbestos materials is asbestos cement corrugated sheets.
Loose-fixed asbestos
Loose-fixed asbestos (or non-attached asbestos) is the most dangerous type of asbestos, because the asbestos fibres are not or barely bound to another material. As a result, the asbestos fibres are more easily released. Some examples of non-attached asbestos materials are: spray asbestos, putty and glazing sealant.
How do I recognise asbestos?
Cognising asbestos can be very tricky. This is because asbestos fibres are very small and cannot be seen with the naked eye. In addition, it also has no smell. The first step to checking whether you are dealing with asbestos is by checking the production date of products and materials. Anything manufactured after 1 January 1994 does not contain asbestos fibres.
Pay particular attention to houses built before 1 January 1994. This is because in the 1970s and 1980s, asbestos was widely used in insulation materials, sewer pipes, window frames and window sills, among others. If you live in an older house from this period, an asbestos inventory is mandatory when you are going to remodel or renovate.
Asbestos was also widely used in corrugated sheets on barn and garage roofs. In the case of corrugated sheets, there is a clear way to recognise whether you are dealing with asbestos. Often there is a production date on the corrugated sheets. A date after 1 January 1994 means it does not contain asbestos. Certain codes are also printed on corrugated sheets. The codes tell you whether you are dealing with asbestos corrugated sheets. Check out the codes and abbreviations below:
| Asbestos Corrugated Sheets | Asbestos Free Corrugated Sheets |
|---|---|
| NF Non Friable | AV Asbestos Free |
| CAF Compressed Asbestos Fibres | NA Non Asbestos |
| At Asbestos Technology | AF Asbestos Free |
| AFM Asbestos Free Material | |
| AP Amiante Pas | |
| NT New Technology |
How dangerous is asbestos?
The danger of asbestos lies mainly in inhaling the asbestos fibres. Asbestos fibres are harmful to your lungs and, if asbestos is inhaled for long periods, can cause cancer, for example. These diseases due to asbestos only occur with long-term exposure to and inhalation of large amounts of asbestos fibres.
Inhaling asbestos goes unnoticed. It does not make you cough, for example. So always have asbestos removed by an asbestos removal company to make sure you don’t inhale it when it comes loose.
Asbestos in the house, now what?
To make an asbestos inventory, you call in an asbestos specialist. This specialist knows what to look for and takes samples to determine whether materials indeed contain asbestos. What do you do if you suspect you have asbestos in your home?
- To find out for sure if you have asbestos in your home, have an asbestos inventory carried out. If you want to have asbestos removed, it is compulsory to have an asbestos inventory report drawn up. With an asbestos inventory, the professional determines what type of asbestos is involved. Then there are two options: an asbestos remediation or an asbestos management plan.
- Bound asbestos does not always have to be removed. Sometimes it is an option to have an asbestos management plan drawn up. Then the asbestos may be left in place, as long as it can be done safely.
- If dangerous asbestos is present, it must be removed. Remediating asbestos yourself can be dangerous. Therefore, choose a specialist with Ascert certification. Then you can be sure of professional and careful asbestos removal.
What does asbestos removal cost? Check it out in the table below.
| Project | Costs, incl. VAT |
|---|---|
| Asbestos inventory (for residential property) | |
| – Inventory of visible material | £ 300 – £ 500 |
| – Full inventory | from £ 450 |
| Asbestos removal | |
| – Corrugated sheets 1 – 10 m2 | £ 600 – £ 800 |
| – Corrugated sheets 11 – 20 m2 | £ 700 – £ 900 |
| – Corrugated sheets 21 – 30 m2 | £ 800 – £ 1.000 |
| – Corrugated sheets 31 – 50 m2 | £ 900 – £ 1,100 |
| – 1 room up to 35 m2 | £ 900 – £ 1,100 |
| – 2 rooms up to 40 m2 | £ 1.100 – £1,300 |
| – 3 spaces up to 50 m2 | £1,300 – £1,500 |
| – 2 spaces up to 70 m2 | £1,600 – £1.800 |
| Processing asbestos-containing material | |
| – Packaging for asbestos-containing material | £ 0 – £ 30 (suitable for 1.500 kg) |
| – Dumping asbestos-containing material | £ 0 – £ 25 per 100 kg |
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Renoca asbestos removal tips
Choose a certified asbestos removal company
It is important to choose a certified asbestos removal company. Then you can be sure you are dealing with a professional who will carry out the project safely.
Don’t wait too long with remediation
If it turns out that asbestos is present in your home, it is wise to have it removed as soon as possible. The longer the asbestos is present, the more risk you run of adverse health effects. For the asbestos inventory and asbestos removal, you hire separate companies. However, asbestos inventory companies often advise which asbestos remediation companies can carry out your project.
Request multiple quotes
Remediating asbestos is a sizeable project, depending on the amount of asbestos found. To find a suitable asbestos removal company with a reasonable price, request quotes from multiple asbestos removal companies. Compare these quotes to find a suitable specialist for your project.
