Liverpool City Council is encouraging local homeowners, renovators, tradies and handymen to be mindful of asbestos when carrying out their work as part of Asbestos Awareness month this November.
Liverpool Mayor Ned Mannoun (pictured) said that asbestos was a common building material present in many older homes and buildings in Liverpool and urged residents to visit www.asbestosawareness.com.au/ and take the 20 Point Safety check to learn where asbestos might be found and how to manage it safely.
“Asbestos could be anywhere and residents could be put at serious risk when carrying out work to homes or property if they don’t take the proper precautions,” he said.
“If you know the suspect material was installed before 1990, it is safest to assume it does contain asbestos. With this in mind, residents should visit the asbestos awareness website to learn how to safely manage asbestos-containing materials.”
It is hard to judge whether a material contains asbestos simply by looking at it. Careful, close examination of a sample using specialised microscopic procedures is the only way to tell whether a material contains asbestos, which can only be done at an accredited laboratory.
Asbestos could be floor coverings such as carpets, linoleum and vinyl tiles; 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, chook and farm sheds and even dog kennels.
With at least one in three Australian homes containing asbestos, many homeowners, renovators, tradies and handymen are putting their health and the health of families at risk when doing home renovations, maintenance and demolition. This can release dangerous asbestos dust and fibres that can be inhaled and lead to asbestos-related diseases including mesothelioma.
Liverpool City Council is participating in the Western Sydney Residential Asbestos Disposal Scheme (WSRADS) to help local residents manage asbestos when doing building or renovation work. The scheme aims to minimise the burden on householders who want to correctly and safely dispose of their asbestos waste by offsetting the collection and transport costs for small residential amounts of asbestos waste.
To be eligible for WSRADS you must:
Own a residential property in the Liverpool Local Government Area
Be disposing of bonded asbestos (non-friable asbestos).
To find out more information visit Council’s website at www.liverpool.nsw.gov.au/services/waste-and-recycling/asbestos-scheme
