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Asbestos disposal

Asbestos is a hazardous waste that must be removed and disposed of in a safe and controlled manner.

For information on what asbestos looks like, where it may be found in your home and what you should do if you find it, visit the asbestos health and safety section on the Health and Safety Executive website.

Further reading on asbestos:

Use a specialist licensed contractor

We encourage residents to use a specialist licensed contractor to safely remove and dispose of asbestos. Find a contractor on the Asbestos Removal Contractors Association (ARCA) website.

Advice for residents who choose to remove and dispose of asbestos themselves

If you’re a resident and you choose to remove the asbestos yourself, you must follow the advice below:

  • Plan your work so that you handle asbestos material as little as possible
  • Wear protective clothing approved for working with asbestos
  • Prevent other people from accessing the area of work
  • If possible, work outside
  • Damp down the asbestos before disturbing it
  • Do not drill, saw, grind or break up the asbestos
  • If you produce dust, damp it down and sweep it up
  • Do not hoover the asbestos as this may spread the dust around the area you’re working in
  • Carefully place the asbestos into the bag we provide and seal with tape so no asbestos dust can escape

Visit the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) website to read their asbestos information.

Our asbestos disposal service

We offer residents a disposal service at the Household Recycling Centre for small quantities of white cement-bonded asbestos only.

We can only accept the asbestos waste if it has come from your own household maintenance and repair work carried out by yourself.

You must apply to use our asbestos disposal service. You cannot turn up at the Household Recycling Centre to dispose of your asbestos without an approved application.

  1. Complete our online form to apply to use the service (please note we only consider applications with photos provided)
  2. We assess each application on an individual basis
  3. If we approve your application, we'll contact you with next steps. This will include provision of asbestos bags and a time slot.
  4. If we can't approve your application, we will let you know why and any further steps to follow
  5. If you are planning to bring asbestos in a van or trailer, you will need to apply for an e-permit if you do not already have one ADD LINK

Please also note:

  • We provide asbestos bags to avoid the release of asbestos fibres. Please put your asbestos waste into the bag provided and seal it with tape.

  • Due to health and safety implications, staff at the Household Recycling Centre will not assist with unloading the asbestos bag from your vehicle or loading it into the asbestos skip. Therefore, you must be able to lift and carry the bag yourself or bring someone to help you.

  • The asbestos skip has an opening measuring 1.2m wide. The asbestos bag must fit through this gap.

Quantities we accept free of charge

We can accept small quantities of white cement-bonded asbestos free of charge. Examples include:

  • One or two (depending on size) small sheets
  • A single down / waste pipe, flue or gutter no longer than 2.2m
  • Small water tank

If the total amount of asbestos exceeds the amount we can accept free of charge, we would not accept any of the asbestos free of charge and the full amount will be chargeable as this is not defined as household waste.

Quantities we charge for

For white cement-bonded asbestos over the amount of what we can accept free of charge, we can quote for disposal. The asbestos waste must still be from your own household maintenance and repair work, but isn't enough to warrant a commercial collection.

For the chargeable service, the quantities we accept cannot be in excess of (depending on size) six sheets or six pipes etc. If you have more asbestos than we can charge for, we will not accept any of the asbestos even if you have carried out the work yourself.

We will only accept one application to use the chargeable disposal service in a 12 month period. This is unless your application doesn't exceed the maximum asbestos which we can charge for. E.g. two applications within 12 months may be accepted if they do not total six sheets, six pipes etc. Charges will apply.

If you have more asbestos than we can charge for

If you have more asbestos than we can charge for, we will not accept any of the asbestos even if you have carried out the work yourself.

Submit an application

Asbestos from a non-domestic property

You cannot dispose of asbestos from a non-domestic property at the Household Recycling Centre. It must be removed and disposed of by a specialist contractor. Visit our Health and Safety webpage for workplace related asbestos guidance.

Find a contractor on the Asbestos Removal Contractors Association (ARCA) website.

Published: 11 November 2024