Hi
Hyperthetically would it be better for our enviroment to bury/encase a small amount of asbestos cement roofing in
the oversite under a solid ground bearing slab of a house
or transport it, via a specialist skip , to the few waste sites that now deal with this in a similiar method (encasing it in concrete and protective membrane)

I believe the enviroment agentcy used to advise the under the slab method , though I'd doubt they'd admit it now

thanks for your thoughts
James

I've added these links below
advice on dealing with asbestos cement from HSE



http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/guidance/a11.pdf
http://www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos/essentials/cement.htm
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/guidance/a0.pdf

The local practice where I live is to hire a mini digger and bury it in some discreet spot. Personally, I think encasing it yourself in a slab is as good a way as any to dispose of it, and it could be better than taking it to landfill in that there might be less handling involved, and thus less risk of losing bits in the undergrowth. If it was me, that's certainly what I would do, and I wouldn't tell anyone either. Take personal responsibility for it, and build a house on top that's so nice that no-one will want to knock down...

There used to be a clear distinction drawn between asbestos-cement (safe because bound by the cement matrix) and other forms of asbestos. When did that change? Who exactly now says A-C is hazardous? How hazardous compared with other asbestos; compared with other hazards?

What if the A-C was not just buried beneath concrete but mixed into it?

If buried, is leaching into groundwater a problem? Are asbestos fibres dispersed into soil/subsoil a problem? e.g. deposited there by asbestos-bearing groundwater?

Not where I live you can't. The only way that you can legitimately dispose of the stuff is to wrap it in two layers of heavy plastic, neatly taped up, then take it yourself to a site run by a private company, and pay (I think) £60 per sheet for the privilege of having them bury it somewhere. Borderline extortion if you ask me, and I'd be intrigued to see the details of the tendering process whereby that particular monopoly was handed out, given that there's acres of the stuff on all the old farms and smallholdings around and about.

How sure are that the "artificial slates" are asbestos as opposed to an early version of the non asbestos cement ones?

We took some corrugated asbetos roofing off an outbuilding last year. Wet it first, masks, overalls, gloves, double bagged it, taped the bags, took it to a licensed depot, paid through the nose. The guys in the yard, wearing no safety equipment, ripped the bags open, chucked it in a skip and smashed it up with a sledge hammer...

Thanks for your comment

Tom raises some important questions
""CommentAuthorfostertom CommentTimeMay 9th 2008
There used to be a clear distinction drawn between asbestos-cement (safe because bound by the cement matrix) and other forms of asbestos. When did that change? Who exactly now says A-C is hazardous? How hazardous compared with other asbestos; compared with other hazards?

What if the A-C was not just buried beneath concrete but mixed into it?

If buried, is leaching into groundwater a problem? Are asbestos fibres dispersed into soil/subsoil a problem? e.g. deposited there by asbestos-bearing groundwater? ""


Leaching is a possible negative I can see in hiding it under the slab
encasing it into the concrete should help with this

Taking it to a specialist ,means that the landfill site can be controlled as a hazardous area for future generations
rather than having little bits hidden here and there, is this better?

You can , in some areas ,take small amount (approx.2 sheets) to local sites , if its from your own home and you supply prooof of address etc.

I've been quoted £500+ for a small skip to drive it 100mile to a special site

as Toms says, Why has A-C been added to the hazardous list, is it more so than gloss paint brushes cleaned out with white spririts and washed out in a sink?

Chris, I liked your story ,it made me laugh out loud.

thanks

Jim

Hi, This would include the following sort of thing: Everite Asbestos Cement Standard Corrugated Sheeting ; Everite Asbestos Cement Bigsix Corrugated Sheeting : Everite Asbestos Cement Rainwater Goods ; Everite Asbestos Cement Flue Pipes, and Fittings for the Gas Industry ; Everite Asbestos Cement Smoke and Ventilating Ducts ; Everite. Asbestos Cement Pressure Pipes for Water and Gas Mains ; Everite Ridging, Louvres and Flashings ; Poilite Flat Building Sheets ; Poilite Asbestos Cement Slates (diagonal and rectangular).
There is lots and lots of it out there
Getting rid of it is a problem - so any advice is greatly appreciated

Cheers, Mike up North

Recent experience here in Essex was that the local council will remove bagged low risk asbestos material for free.
Suggest you call your local council to see if you can get something for your taxes!!