Asbestos cement
removal
Asbestos cement materials can pose serious health risks when damaged or disturbed, making safe handling and removal essential. Our experienced team provides professional asbestos cement removal services for garages, roofing sheets, gutters, flues, water tanks, and other bonded asbestos products, ensuring all work is carried out in line with current UK regulations. We focus on safe removal, responsible waste disposal, and minimal disruption, giving homeowners, landlords, and businesses complete peace of mind.
What is asbestos cement?
Facts:
Asbestos Type: Chrysotile (most common)
Amosite (less common)
Crocidolite (less common)
Colour: White, Brown, Blue
Commonly Found: Garages, Sheds, Wall Cladding, Gutters, Downpipes, Flues, Water Tanks & Soffits.
Popular In: Residential, Garages, Farm Buildings, Warehouses, Factories, Industrial Units, Schools & Outbuildings.
Good to know: Asbestos Cement is considered a lower risk asbestos material because the fibres are bonded within cement. However, cutting, drilling, breaking, or weather damage can release harmful fibres.
Risk: Low
was widely used throughout the UK from the 1920s until the late 1990s, with peak use between the 1950s and 1980s. Its popularity came from being durable, fire resistant, weatherproof, and relatively inexpensive. The use of all asbestos types was fully banned in the UK in 1999.
Because asbestos fibres were bonded into cement, the material was strong and long lasting, which is why many asbestos cement products are still found in older buildings today.
Asbestos Cement
CAN YOU IDENTIFY IT BY SIGHT?
Asbestos cement can sometimes be suspected by its appearance, age, and location, but it cannot be confirmed by sight alone. Many non asbestos cement and fibre cement products look very similar.
- Weathering, drilling, cutting, or breaking asbestos cement can release dangerous airborne fibres.
- Many older water tanks and pipes were made from asbestos cement because it resisted corrosion.
- Modern fibre cement products may look almost identical to asbestos cement.
types of asbestos found in asbestos cement
Decorative Textured Coatings is the most commonly used asbestos type in asbestos containing cement products. Chrysotile is part of the Serpentine asbestos family. It contains curly fibres and is usually present in asbestos cement, around 10 - 15% in some products.
Chrysotile (White Asbestos)
is less common than Chrysotile but occasionally used in stronger cement products and industrial applications.
Amosite (Brown Asbestos)
Crocidolite (Blue Asbestos)
is less common but sometimes found in older asbestos cement pipes, tanks, and specialist industrial products. It contains very fine needle like fibres and more hazardous when airborne with a strong association with asbestos disease.
What You Should Know
Asbestos cement is generally considered a lower risk asbestos material because the fibres are tightly bonded within cement. It becomes hazardous when the material is cut, drilled, sanded, broken, or heavily weathered, as fibres can then be released into the air.
Asbestos cement is usually considered non licensed asbestos work in the UK, provided the material is in good condition and can be removed without being broken up excessively.
our projects
See some of our asbestos cement removal projects, completed safely, professionally and fully compliant for our domestic and commercial clients.
asbestos cement water tank
Safe removal of an asbestos cement water tank from the loft space of a residential property in Billericay.
The tank was carefully disconnected, dismantled where required, and removed under controlled conditions to prevent unnecessary disturbance of the asbestos-containing material. Due to restricted access within the loft space, additional care was taken to protect the surrounding areas during the removal process.
All asbestos waste was securely packaged, removed from site and transported for disposal in accordance with current asbestos regulations. The loft area was left clean and ready for further works or refurbishment.
asbestos cement flue
Removal of an asbestos flue connected to a boiler system within a residential property in Enfield.
We were instructed by a boiler installation company carrying out upgrade works at the property, who required the safe removal of the existing asbestos-containing flue prior to installation of the new system.
The flue was carefully removed using controlled asbestos removal procedures, with surrounding areas protected throughout the works. All asbestos waste was securely packaged, removed from site and disposed of in accordance with current regulations, allowing the boiler installation works to continue safely and without delay.
Asbestos Roof Sheet Removal in Reading
Removal of asbestos cement roof sheets from a church hall in Reading as part of a full building renovation project.
The existing asbestos-containing roof sheets were carefully removed under controlled conditions to allow for the installation of a new replacement roof as part of the refurbishment works. Due to the size and nature of the building, works were planned and carried out methodically to ensure safe handling and removal of all roofing materials.
All asbestos waste was securely packaged, removed from site, and transported for disposal in accordance with current asbestos regulations, allowing the renovation project to continue safely and on schedule.