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.

I'll tell you my experience.

We lived in a block of high-rise flats. Our flat had a problem with the stopcock for our water supply. It sat in a little cupboard thing outside the front door. The plumber came, looked, pulled a face, put on latex gloves, wiped his finger along the pipe then wiped his finger inside a plastic test-tube before buggering off without a word. The next thing we knew, the council came knocking on the door. The plumber had found asbestos in that little cupboard/access panel. They gave us a date on which we were to vacate the premises because a specialist asbestos removal firm had to go in through the back of our (fortunately empty) storage cupboard next to the front door to remove asbestos left there from the original build over 40 years earlier. They had to do the whole block, one flat per day only. We had to stay away and not come back until they phoned us to allow us to come back. They came in like something out of Outbreak. Special suits taped at the wrists and everything, breathing apparatus...the works. They taped and plastic sheeted the end of the hallway off from the rest of the flat like fictional serial killer Dexter would prepare a kill room. They had special vans to operate from.

Do not fuck about with this stuff. Try to stop your neighbours fucking about with this stuff. Phone the council, environmental health department...sharpish. ask their advice.

So you know exactly what you’re talking about.
Personally feel, with asbestos, don’t take any
chances, not worth it.

Yes. But I would like to know what Local Authority gives that advice because mine doesn't.

That is illegal and a health hazzard.

Not to mention the bin men expected to take that. Asbestosis isn’t a joke.

Report ASAP. council will take it VERY seriously.

Yes, unfortunately.

For you, and your baby; potentially also the refuse collectors, and tip workers.

Except, have you actually provided a link to somewhere with context? Perhaps I missed it but I can only see text with no source.

Whereas others have provided links.

Also experience of people who have died from exposure, and knowledge from other who like me have professional experience or training in this area.

I assume either you are the neighbour on question or someone who has similarly decided not to care about their own health or those around them with regard to this issue. And you want to be correct, but you are not correct.

I’ve seen people go from strong men into nothing from asbestosis. To take it as a joke (as some do) is actually insulting. It destroys lives if not handled properly.

Apart from here:

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.

While I'm at it, if the house is of an age to have lead paint and they are sanding, keep your baby far far away.

If it cement sheet asbestos roofing and they double wrap it and take it to the tip it will be fine. It must not be broken.
a quick google shows highland council, North Yorkshire East Yorkshire, York and Lincolnshire council all accept asbestos at the tip with different conditions

Thank you, for commenting.Another poster was adamant, arguing with others.
If it was my neighbour, l wouldn’t hesitate to report, because this is a serious matter.

What if it does get broken.Surely it’s common sense if a person hasn’t got any experience, then they don’t really know what they’re doing.The right thing to do is get a professional in, rather than just trying to save money.

Play stupid games, get stupid prizes.

The only person who should handle asbestos is somebody who is qualified or (at the very least) out of the risk area of others (a farm, or another setting far away from others). To assume ‘I know what I’m doing’ without proper training is prideful and stupid.

Clearly this commenter lives in Chernobyl or somewhere similarly afflicted, with her local council operating such a laissez-faire approach to this.

Completely agree.

You don’t always need a licence. It depends on the type of asbestos and what you are doing with it. The HSE publishes guidance sheets, including ones for non-licensed tasks, to keep everybody safe.

This link has already been posted, but here is an example of a task that doesn’t need a licence…

Removing asbestos cement (AC) sheets, gutters etc and dismantling a small AC structure

I’ve read it, it’s not something someone with no experience should be doing, in a neighbourhood, as opposed to a rural area.I would still report it, as l would be concerned.

They could kill people with this attitude. Please tell them that you will film them and report them- exposure to even tiny amounts of the dust can be fatal later (many teachers get mesothelioma apparently from the asbestos pinboards they used to use in schools).

They are being very ridiculous and very selfish.
I sale agreed on a house that fell through because of asbestos. I had to pay quite a lot just to have a sample tested to confirm it was asbestos before deciding to pull out of the sale. Its such dangerous stuff. If you buy a house with asbestos in you're accepting that if you want to renovate you have to pay to have it properly removed.

I think the key things are

a) what sort of asbestos
b) whether or not they are going to damage it when they remove it and
c) whether or not they are competent enough to read carefully what they need to do and to and then do it (e.g. wetting it if that's appropriate etc)

Because if it's blue asbestos, that would be very bad. It's more likely it's white asbestos, which is less harmful (though still harmful).

If it's white asbestos and they dismantle it carefully, soak it if required, do not break it when they dismantle it, wear an N95 mask, and then carefully wrap it and dispose of it at a tip, then it is probably possible to do this in a safe manner.

But the impression I get from your post is that this is not the type of people they are, in which case I would be similarly concerned and I would be looking for ways to report, or at least find out more before I reported.

My uncle died from mesothelioma which is caused by asbestos. It's a horrible way to go. Your neighbour is incredibly arrogant and ignorant to not stop and think about what they're doing. Is there someone this can be reported to?
I remember a few years ago an entire road near me was blocked off for hours because asbestos had been found in a property that was being renovated.
Here in Australia it's taken very seriously because so many people have been affected by it because certain companies tried to hide and deny how dangerous it is which has led to a lot of deaths and lawsuits.

Our local council will deliver asbestos disposal bags for free, that can then be taken to the tip. Could you send off for some and give them to them? They obviously still have to be very careful as they remove it and wear appropriate gloves and mask.