Asbestos

What is Asbestos?

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that was commonly used in the past as a building material for sound and heat insulation, fire-proofing, and other construction purposes. Under E.U. legislation, the placing on the market of asbestos and asbestos-containing products is prohibited, and you can no longer buy or re-use asbestos products in Ireland. However, many older houses and buildings in Ireland still contain asbestos products that were mainly used as insulation, fire-proofing, roofing and flooring materials.

If asbestos-containing material is present in a building or structure, this does not necessarily mean that it must be removed. It may sometimes be a safer option to maintain the asbestos in place, rather than to remove or disturb the material, and thus increase the risk of releasing asbestos fibres into the air. Asbestos must always be removed before a building is demolished, to prevent the risk of the fibres spreading and contaminating the surrounding area.

Disposal of Asbestos

Asbestos removal and disposal is a complex and potentially hazardous procedure that should only be undertaken by a specialist contractor with an appropriate Waste Collection Permit. While many waste collectors have Permits, they are often not allowed to accept hazardous materials such as asbestos. Always confirm that a waste contractor possesses the correct Permit before engaging them to remove asbestos - you can also check with your local authority to ensure that a particular company has a valid Waste Collection Permit. Please remember that it is an offence to hand over waste to an unauthorised waste collector.