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

[Uniffo]

My neighbours are renovating. We are detached but still reasonably close. They have asbestos on some part of the outside of their house/along the garage frames etc. they are removing it all next week and casually told us that ‘I think you’re supposed to get it removed by specialists but we are just going to bin it.’ Meaning the wheely bins.

Could this not mean bits of asbestos come into our home? Our garden? Etc. we have a baby which is making me more worried.

Yes you absolute are supposed to get in specialists. Be brave and tell her OP ..maybe you could find a relevant article and hand it to her in a "oh I'm trying to help, I think you should read this" kind of way

@RhaenysRocks they are not the sorts to listen or take precautions. They’ve done everything themselves and clearly intend to continue to do so. Could this cause health problems for us?

I'd be reporting that, you can start with environmental health. What's next? Unqualified electrician/gas engineer etc.

Report to the council asap, it'll get in the air and possibly bits in your garden. And a totally irresponsible thing to contaminate the household waste too.

Report to environmental health, just not worth the risk of exposure.

One of my sons worked in asbestos removal for quite some time.

It's very dangerous and they have very strict rules about removal.

You can contact your local council, probably environmental, or H&S, and report this ASAP.

You're all at risk, the refuse collection team are possibly at most risk as they won't know it's there and tipping it in will create a cloud of it that they won't know to avoid!
Ring the district/town council asap

They're putting themselves at risk, you at risk, binmen at risk, whoever comes into contact with it wherever the rubbish ends up so unbelievably irresponsible. Asbestosis is no joke my husband's uncle died from it.

Report this, very selfish and reckless to not dispose of it properly. Puts waste collectors at risk as well, not on.

It’s hugely selfish to the poor bin men who’ll end up breathing this stuff in. Definitely report them to environmental health. But also go and talk to them and tell them how serious this is.

Thanks. Will they say who reported them? Will they contact them immediately?

if they start it tomorrow will the risk to us health wise always be there?

You don't have to leave a name, just say you're a concerned friend or something.

Oh my god this is horrific. Escalate immediately. It is incredibly dangerous for all of you and the removal team if done improperly.

My lovely uncle died of asbestosis. It’s no joke. Report them first thing.

The risk is the fibres once they become airborne and you breathe them in. Once the asbestos and dust is gone it’s fine, but where’s it gone/ settled? Asbestos containing materials are fine untouched - the danger is when it’s disturbed

Report report report to Environmental health.

Really risky health wise for them, you and anyone who comes into contact with the stuff they've dumped.

Also legally risky as the penalties for improper handling are high.

Although there is some stuff that can be done by unlicensed people it' pretty limited and you still need to dispose of the material properly afterwards.

https://www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos/essentials/

This is unbelievably reckless, dangerous and thoughtless. If you can't get through to anyone else contact your waste disposal people and tell them your NDNs have put asbestos in the wheely bins. They will (should) refuse to take it, and hopefully they will get EH involved..

Of course that won't stop them tearing it down, if environmental health can't help tomorrow keep your windows shut and hopefully it will rain.

Really angry on your behalf!!

https://www.britsafe.org/safety-management/2024/company-director-jailed-for-illegal-asbestos-removal

Maybe also show them this...

Genuinely if this is happening tomorrow and you can't get environmental health or your local council to respond as a matter of urgency I would call the police.

They know it's there and don't care, despite having the Internet at their fingertips. I'd report first thing and not care if they suspect you.

Call environmental health at your local council. They should take this seriously.

Some asbestos doesn’t have to be removed by a licensed asbestos removal company, but it still needs to be disposed of appropriately. If it’s cement asbestos sheets then that’s fairly low grade but they shouldn’t be breaking it up and shoving it in a wheelie bin.

would community police be interested? surely it's antisocial behaviour to poison the air the neighbourhood breathes? it's crucial to stop them before they start

wtf?!

what selfish, irresponsible twats.

I’d definitely report them to the council

Report it to your enforcement team at your local authority and tell your council anyway so they can look at the bins

They are incredibly stupid in. my book