Asbestos, am I being utterly crazy or is this unreasonable?

It’s jaz waste. The bin men won’t go near it.

It can take 10-50 years for asbestos related Illnesses to become symptomatic. However it only takes 1 fibre, 1 time to become problematic.
interestingly on a recent asbestos course I attended I’ve read asbestos can cause ovarian cancer..
just report them to the council.

Many household waste sites have an asbestos skip, ours does, guidance id to double bag or wrap in plastic sheeting.

I'm in the building trade, it is PERFECTLY LEGAL to remove small amounts of asbestos cement (roof sheets, drain pipes, gutters, fascias etc) yourself as a householder, you do not need a licence.

All you need to do is follow the guidance published by the HSE, proceed with care and dispose of the waste appropriately

From the official text:
For most small scale removals, you can usually remove it yourself. A licence is not needed. You will need to take some precautions.
If removal of asbestos cement is done according to these rules, it will not usually fall into the category where it must be notified to the enforcing authority (HSE or Local Authority, depending on the premises). This would only happen if there was likely to be exposure beyond the "action level" given in the Regulations.

Yes, the waste disposal site needs to be specifically licensed to accept asbestos as its classified as a Hazardous waste

Report them to Environmental Health at your local authority.
Asbestos cement sheeting is safe if its undisturbed, not so if its broken up. You dont have to be a licensed contractor to remove it, but by law they do need to notify the work and they do need to control the risk of airborne fibres.
It's also illegal for them to chuck it in with other general waste as its classified as Hazardsous waste and needs to be disposed of differently to bricks, concrete etc.

Sadly, I suspect that the selfish and irresponsible behaviour displayed by your neighbours, OP, is not as unusual as I would thought, judging by all the people on this thread who are tripping over each other to minimise the dangers of asbestos and tell us we're making a silly fuss about nothing.

He was awarded compensation from the company he worked for when it happened, so evidently they saw enough to convince them for legal purposes.

There seems to be significant attention on asbestos in the UK right now, and I understand that asbestos exposure can carry serious risks. However, I have some personal perspective on this topic. I knew someone who worked in an asbestos factory for most of his life, in another country, and lived a long life, passing away at age 75 due to an unrelated motor accident.

In my own experience, I used an asbestos sheet under my electric frying pan for several years to protect my tabletop from heat. While I understand that symptoms from asbestos exposure can sometimes take many years to appear, I’ve now been retired for over a decade without experiencing any ill effects.

From what I’ve read, single or very occasional exposures generally carry a very low risk.

You can't know that, nor can the doctors that diagnosed your relative, unless he lived in a bubble for the rest of his working life

Report to the council. So very dangerous!

YES, it could. Asbestos held in sheets are ok as long as they are left alone.

If people start smashing them up, or using power tools, it's the fibres which are released as dust that are the danger.

www.croydon.gov.uk/environment/noise-pollution-and-air-quality/asbestos

Because asbestos is present the air we all breathe.

I would urgently report it, leave a note in all
the surrounding neighbours doors and take your baby and leave to stay somewhere else.

i know that sounds dramatic - but you really really don’t want to fuck about with asbestos.

We had to fill in a form online & then take it to a disposal site - a council tip in the next town.
Guess it varies by council.

Well my dad is dying from mesothelioma right now, could happen any day now after couple of rough years. Thank God they are not my neighbours bc i would punch them in the face and report everywhere possible.

OP, I used to deal with contracts at a senior level for one of the largest local authorities in the country. This is an extremely serious situation. Get onto your local council first thing, and if you have to, call the police to stop them till the Council arrive.

Make sure you, your family and neighbours are not exposed to any dust or fibres as best you can and keep all doors and windows closed.

Edited to add, google the Armley asbestos disaster.

i know quite a number of people who have died from abestos poisoning to be fair. From a family of trades and worked a long time in the construction industry. I can think of 4 that I would consider close friends, including my god father. It’s not uncommon in men of that age and background sadly

Why wouldn’t he know he was only exposed once?

If The neighbours are clearing a garage it might be white asbestos, but it’s still worth doing the job properly. Breaking it up dry and shoving it in a wheely bin is not taking appropriate precautions.

I’m sure if mesothelioma is just an abstract, unfortunate disease to you, you’ll be much more blasé than those of us with direct experience. I do have that experience and I would not be happy if my neighbours were messing about like the OP’s.

He doesn’t know he was only exposed once though, and a test wouldn’t show when his disease was caused. So it’s pretty impossible to make that statement?

Ok. I knew the person well so objectively, I know it IS the case, thanks.

You can’t do nothing for fear of them finding out you reported them. These people are willing to endanger the lives of countless strangers through their lazy ignorance. Time to make it abundantly clear what you think of them. If you fall out with them over this so be it. This is absolutely the hill you should die on. Better that then someone actually dying because of their selfish behaviour.

We have already established that not all types of asbestos removal needs a licence.