Asbestos Removal in Sutton

Sutton Council do not offer their own service for asbestos removal; however, the City of London operates a Household Hazardous Waste Collection and Disposal Service (HHWCDS) that Sutton Council refers their residents to if they need asbestos removal. As a resident of Sutton, you are entitled to one asbestos removal per year. You can arrange a collection for your waste, but the asbestos must be double wrapped and sealed in a lockable zip bag before pick up.

It’s important to remember that you can not place asbestos waste in your general waste or recycling bins as they will not be collected. You should also be aware that you can not dispose of any asbestos waste at the re-use and recycling centre on Kimpton Park Way either.

The HHWCDS will ask for proof of recent council tax payments before collection, but they will not provide a collection service for landlords, businesses, schools or charities.

At Wayst our priority is ensuring a safe service for clients while ensuring that our practices are as sustainable as possible, which is why we ensure all of our asbestos removal partners follow all health and safety guidelines when collecting asbestos from your property.

Need help with asbestos removal in Sutton? Do not hesitate to get in touch.

Asbestos is the name given to six naturally occurring minerals that have crystallised to form fibres. The types of asbestos are as follows;

- Chrysotile (white) Asbestos – obtained from serpentine rocks and makes up the majority of asbestos found in commercial businesses.
- Tremolite Asbestos – was used for industrial purposes like household products and is an ingredient of talcum powder.
- Actinolite Asbestos – similar to tremolite, but with a high iron level.
- Anthophyllite Asbestos – is sometimes added to gardening soil.
- Amosite Asbestos - was used the longest for insulation in many countries.
- Crocidolite (blue) Asbestos – occurs naturally all over the world, but is considered the most lethal of the asbestos types.

Asbestos was used in many products, particularly as insulation for buildings, boilers and pipes. It can also be found in roof guttering and car brakes. However, in 1999 the UK banned all importation, supply and use of all asbestos, due to the health risks it exposed people to.

If asbestos is within the structure of a building it is usually harmless, unless it is disturbed or fractured in some way.

However, like all other hazardous waste, being exposed to asbestos fibres can result in serious illnesses. Fibres are released when asbestos is cut, sanded or broken. When asbestos is inhaled, the fibres cause scarring on lung tissue which can lead to serious health implications that can be fatal. Serious illness can occur when somebody breathes in high concentrations of asbestos for a long period of time, it can take decades to develop.

We highly recommend that you do not try to test for asbestos yourself. At Wayst, we can offer expert advice and help you find an asbestos surveyor who can check whether a substance in your home is asbestos or not. A sample of the material can be sent to a secure site where it will be properly tested to determine what the material is.

With all kinds of hazardous waste, the asbestos removal and disposal service must be done with great care to reduce and avoid the potential health and environmental risks caused by exposure to the harmful product.

There are a few different methods for removing asbestos, the method used will depend on where the asbestos is within the building and the amount of risk it presents. Please note also that asbestos must only be disposed of in landfill sites that are licensed to handle this kind of waste.

Hiring a licensed waste carrier who is properly trained in asbestos removal to collect and dispose of any asbestos on your property is the safest way to avoid exposing yourself and others to the hazardous waste, as they will know how to handle and dispose of it correctly.

Some materials may be able to be placed in an asbestos waste skip, if it is carefully wrapped beforehand. The container should also have a lockable lid to prevent fibres escaping and exposing people to potential health problems.

We only work with trusted asbestos removal partners who have full asbestos safety training here at Wayst. We work to strict environmental and health and safety standards, outlined in the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012.

At Wayst we offer a service for asbestos removal from both residential and commercial properties as well as from construction sites. If you are not comfortable removing the asbestos from your property and wrapping it, we are able to arrange a safe removal of the hazardous waste product from both inside and outside of the building, where the wrapping of the items will also be done for you to reduce the risk to the environment and human health by following the health and safety guidelines.

Instructions for wrapping asbestos include:
- Items need to be individually wrapped or bagged then sealed with strong tape to keep the harmful chemicals from being inhaled
- All items must be easily lifted and carried by an individual so take the size and weight into consideration before wrapping (25kgs per bag maximum)
- Label each item with ‘WARNING – CONTAINS ASBESTOS – DO NOT INHALE DUST’ before collection or disposal

If you are responsible for the maintenance of non domestic premises then you have a ‘duty to manage’ the asbestos in the building. You must do what you can to protect anyone that uses or works in the building from the dangers of being exposed to asbestos.

Training is required for all who are liable to be exposed to asbestos fibres at work.

All workers doing non-licensed work with asbestos need to have their health monitored by a doctor regularly.