Asbestos removal

One of the plots on our allotment that has recently been vacated has a couple of asbestos panels (in the shape of corrugated iron) left on it and our Parish council cannot afford to have it removed due to the high cost of doing so. Which also means they cannot let the plots out to others (its a big plot, combining four into one).

Now, I have heard via a whisper that a solitary person can double bag this asbestos and take it to the council dump at no or little cost, is this true that one person can do this on their own but an organisation has to pay hundreds of pounds to have the same job done?

I ask as one interested party I know is considering moving the panels off the site himself...what is the law on all of this, anyone clued up on it?

Many thanks,

Steve...

 

The last time I checked about disposal at the local tip, there was a distinction between domestic (from your own home) asbestos of which small amounts (3 bin bags of bits or 4 whole sheets) could be double bagged/sheeted and taped up (not even to full UN standards) and taken to the tip (prior written permission required) and non-domestic asbestos (from any where else) which had to be carried away for disposal by a licensed and cost lots of money to get rid of.

So if your PC let a tenant remove asbestos, carry it to a tip and dispose of it there they could both potentially face very large fines. Check this out with your local tip/county council. Find out about your Local Authorities arrangements for asbestos disposal

But if it only needs to be disposed of if it's broken, what's the problem? And if there's a problem, why don't the PC simply divide this big plot up/exclude the problem area from a new tenancy?

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/HomeAndCommunity/Planning/DoingWorkYourself/DG_10022562

 

My old dad just had the roof of his dilapidated 1970s garage removed by a specialist company... £600!!!!!
You could (ahem) wrap it up, hire a van, take it to the dump and just say it's off your old garage your pulling down...? A little porky pie, I know, but a cheaper solution than £600 for a few sheets. This is assuming the local tip will accept this material.

SF

 

Here follows some advice about how to safely remove asbestos by yourself.
(see: Carrying out the work yourself ) Disposing of asbestos safely - City of York Council

 

3 or 4 years ago I removed an asbestos roof from my garage, double wrapped it and took it to the local dump. However I think that your dump needs a special locked asbestos container - which mine had. If its commercial I think that you may have to go to a special commercial asbestos site, which may be a long way away.

I suggest you don't hire a van. Vans are often regarded by dumps as commercial. At my local dump you can see local builders unloading ordinary stuff from their cars. That way there is no charge.

I would suggest you go to the dump and ask them. I have found them to be quite helpful. In my case, having explained how it was all very high security and had to be observed, when I arrived at the dump with the asbestos - they just gave me the key to the container. I could have put anything in.

 

I had to get rid of asbestos guttering when we replaced it last year. I bought strong, woven rubble sacks from one of the sheds, carefully broke the asbestos up into suitable lengths and after filling the bags - not too full - securely tied the necks and took them to the tip at Tunbridge Wells. (Check on your local authority website, where they will show which tips take asbestos.)

I had to supply name and address, sign a form and put the bags in a secure container. That was it. I went back a few weeks later with a second load with no problems.

Good luck!

 

Thank you everyone, I'll pass on the great info here to the prospective new plot tenant. With the asbestos gone it will mean four people can come of the waiting list and get busy digging for next year.

Steve...