Tough new asbestos regulations requiring the use of properly licensed removalists and checks to prevent illegal dumping are likely to save lives, according to the Asbestos Diseases Foundation of Australia.

As of today, renovations or developments in NSW that require the removal or repair of more than 10 square metres of bonded asbestos material, or any amount of loose fibred friable asbestos, will require a complying development certificate.

The changes to the NSW Environmental Planning and Assessment Act require:

• an outline of how much asbestos is in the proposed renovation or development;
• the use of a fully licensed asbestos removalist to carry out the work safely; and
• details of which landfill site the asbestos material will be taken to, to prevent illegal dumping which has become increasingly prevalent.

ADFA president Barry Robson said that the changes were vital to halt the large number of people unknowingly exposed to deadly asbestos fibres during renovations or demolition work.

“With up to a third of Australian homes still containing asbestos products, these tough new regulations are absolutely vital to protect the community from exposure to this deadly, cancer-causing fibre,” Mr Robson said.

“The danger is still there, lurking in many homes, and this is a good step to make sure asbestos is identified, removed and disposed of in a way which prevents exposure.“Sadly, in many cases unsafe removal has resulted not only in home renovators suffering deadly asbestos related diseases, but also their young children, which is a terrible and preventable tragedy. “While asbestos victims are still desperately supporting research for a cure, it is vitally important that we prevent other Australian’s from suffering the same fate at the hands of this deadly product.”

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