oh help - asbestos - anyone know anything about it?

[Nyx]

I live in a housing association high rise, I'm off work with a bug today and a man knocked the door to do a survey for asbestos. The chap said it should only take 5-10 mins, so I said 'go ahead, sorry about the mess' . It turns out there's rather a lot of asbestos materials in this flat! He was here for 1/2 an hour. He did say this was the first flat he'd been in, in this building, so it will naturally take longer than the rest, fair enough. He took over 15 samples - he'd told me originally he was intending to take 2 or 3 but was surprised at the amount of probable asbestos in the house.

At one point he was in my linen cupboard and came through to say to me "I don't usually give advice to householders, but I thought I'd mention..." and he showed me a hole in the back wall of the cupboard, where I keep my towels. He pointed out that this wall had asbestos in it, and you could actually see the fibres at the edges of this wee hole. He advised that I cover the hole, with tape or something, and wash all my towels.

How scared should I be? I have a wee 2yo dd - the washing machine's on now but I'm kind of stressing a bit! I had a quick google but can't seem to see the info I need ("asbestos fibres on towels" doesn't bring up much LOL)

Sorry, don't know much but there are different types of asbestos, some fine some not so fine. Did the guy leave you his number or anything?

You could have a look here. Sheets of asbestos that aren't broken are usually considered safer left in place than removed, but damaged sheets should be taken out. Is that likely to be the HA's responsibility? I'd get on to them ASAP. And don't put the towels back in the cupboard!

that sounded really scaremongering when I read it back, and I didn't mean it to be. I just meant that it should be sorted and you're probably best off doing what the man suggested and covering the broken area with plastic sheeting and tape, not putting towels back to pick up more fibres, then getting your HA to sort the problem. Most problems with asbestos exposure are for people who worked with it or washed the dusty clothes of the people who worked with it.

Thank you, both of you

Thanks for the link, Goblin, that's the sort of thing I was looking for. I am expecting the HA to get on to it sooner rather than later, as the man said he was going to get the results of his samples rushed through. I think that the rest of the asbestos in the house should be ok - it's all been painted, for a start - it was just my linen cupboard that had me worried. I've just phoned my hubby and told him I want our towels replaced! He laughed and told me not to worry but I may just replace them anyway...