If it is necessary to remove asbestos then for most work with asbestos insulation, asbestos coating and asbestos insulating board it will need to be carried out by an HSE licensed contractor such as Aspect. The devastating floods that affected large parts of northern England in June saw the emergency services swing into action, together with an army of insurers, loss adjusters, surveyors ? and Aspect Contracts.

If the asbestos is in an unregulated structure, it is not subject to the regulations and therefore a specialist is not required to remove it (see the section below titled "Who must notify" if you are unsure about what types of structures are regulated).

No, asbestos is only a risk to health when in a poor condition or it is disturbed so that it releases fibres. Examples of poor condition would be where asbestos lagging is hanging off pipe work or where asbestos-insulating board is broken and debris is on the floor. Two main ways disturbance could occur is through maintenance work or workplace activities that repeatedly damage the material eg a trolley or a forklift truck that scrapes against asbestos-insulating board.

Current Regulations require that work with many asbestos products, particularly asbestos insulation, asbestos coating or asbestos insulating board and all assumed asbestos materials, is carried out by contractors licensed by HSE. Guidance on licensed work is contained in 'A guide to the Asbestos (Licensing) Regulations 1983' as amended (L11). Work being carried out on asbestos cement, which does not require a contractor, needs to comply with the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002.

Asbestos refers to a group of naturally occurring minerals that have long been known to have useful properties such as strength, flexibility, and heat resistance. These minerals are essentially a type of stone that can be woven into fabric and used in construction materials.

If the pipe insulation is in good condition, and there is little or no chance of it being disturbed, it is probably best to leave it in place. If the pipe insulation is slightly damaged, it can usually be repaired or encapsulated using various methods. Often, there is less risk repairing the material than removing it. EPA does not regulate the removal and disposal of asbestos containing material from privately owned single family residences.

Generally, asbestos-containing materials do not have to be removed from residential property. In fact, asbestos-containing materials do not have to be removed from any residential structures unless they will be disturbed during renovations or demolition activities. As long as the asbestos-containing materials are in good condition and will not be disturbed; they do not pose a significant health risk.

Only if done in accordance with the National Code of Practice for the Safe Removal of Asbestos 2nd Edition [NOHSC:2002(2005)]. It is recommended that you engage a licensed asbestos removal contractor to undertake even minor work. If it is more than 10 square metres you should use a licensed asbestos removalist.

Technically, there are no regulations that forbid a homeowner from removing asbestos in their own home themselves, but we strongly advise against it for a number of reasons: Asbestos is a known human carcinogen. If it is removed improperly, it can cause your home to be seriously contaminated. Professional cleanup of the contamination, could be more costly than if the abatement had originally been performed by professionals. Children are particularly susceptible to asbestos related disease.

Asbestos fibers are microscopic. Once they are released they can become re-entrained in the air when disturbed. If they are vacuumed with a standard vacuum cleaner without a HEPA filter, they can be blown from area to area where that vacuum cleaner is used, thus spreading contamination. We ALWAYS recommend using an asbestos abatement contractor appropriately licensed for your state to perform any work that disturbs asbestos.

If you own and live in the single-family residence (a duplex or other multiple unit structure does not qualify), you are allowed under the Clean Air Agency regulations to remove asbestos yourself, subject to the same regulatory requirements and liability as asbestos professional.