Asbestos often turns up halfway through a renovation: a garage roof, a panel behind the boiler, a textured ceiling or old floor tiles. The first question is usually whether you can deal with it yourself.
In short, some asbestos can legally be removed without a licensed contractor, but most of the dangerous types can’t. The Health and Safety Executive’s advice is clear: don’t repair or remove asbestos yourself unless you’ve had training for non-licensed asbestos work. Even when DIY removal is legal, the waste still has to be packaged and disposed of as hazardous waste.
Not sure whether what you’ve found is asbestos at all? Start with our guide to what asbestos is and where it’s found.
Which asbestos needs a licensed contractor?
Under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, the highest risk materials must be handled by an HSE licensed contractor. These are:
- Sprayed asbestos coatings, often found on steel beams and ceilings in older commercial buildings
- Asbestos insulation and pipe lagging
- Most work on asbestos insulating board (AIB), used in ceiling tiles, fire doors, soffits, partition walls and boiler cupboards
These materials release fibres easily and are behind most asbestos related disease. Don’t touch them.
Which asbestos can be removed without a licence?
Lower risk materials can be removed without a licence, as long as the person doing the work is trained and follows the right controls. They include:
| Material | Where you’ll find it | Licence needed? |
|---|---|---|
| Asbestos cement sheets | Garage and shed roofs, wall cladding | No, for most work |
| Asbestos cement gutters, downpipes, flues and water tanks | Outbuildings, older homes | No, for most work |
| Textured decorative coatings such as Artex | Ceilings and walls | No, with controls |
| Vinyl and thermoplastic floor tiles | Kitchens, hallways, schools | Usually no |
| Short, minor AIB work (under 2 hours in total in any 7 days) | Drilling or removing a single small panel | No, but strict limits apply |
Non-licensed work still has rules. Businesses must assess the risk, train staff and use suitable protective equipment. Some non-licensed jobs also have to be notified to the enforcing authority in advance, known as notifiable non-licensed work.
Can a homeowner legally remove an asbestos garage roof?
In most cases, yes. An asbestos cement garage or shed roof is non-licensed material, and homeowners can legally remove it themselves. That doesn’t always make it a good idea.
The biggest danger on a garage roof is often the fall, not the fibres. Asbestos cement sheets are fragile and won’t take your weight, so never stand or kneel on them. If you go ahead, take these precautions:
- Keep the sheets wet with a hand sprayer to hold down dust.
- Use hand tools only. No angle grinders, drills or power saws.
- Remove the sheets whole. Undo the fixings rather than breaking the sheets.
- Wear a disposable coverall and an FFP3 mask, plus gloves. Bag the coverall as asbestos waste afterwards.
- Keep children and pets away, and don’t do it on a windy day.
If the sheets are badly weathered, broken or covered in moss and debris, or the roof is above head height, pay a professional.
How to package asbestos waste
However it’s removed, asbestos must be packaged so no fibres can escape:
- Double wrap it. HSE guidance is a red inner bag and a clear outer bag, both heavy duty polythene.
- Damp down small broken pieces before you bag them.
- Wrap whole sheets in heavy duty polythene sheeting and tape them securely. Don’t break them to fit them into bags.
- Label the packaging as asbestos waste.
Never put asbestos in your household bin, a general waste skip or a builders’ bag. It will be rejected, and the skip company may charge you to deal with the contaminated load.
Where can household asbestos go?
You have three options:
- Your council recycling centre. Some local authorities accept small amounts of bagged asbestos cement from householders, often by appointment. Rules vary widely, so check with your council first.
- A licensed hazardous waste site. You can take it yourself or have it collected.
- A dedicated asbestos collection or enclosed asbestos skip. This is the easiest option for larger quantities or whole roofs. Our asbestos disposal service supplies lockable, lined containers and handles the paperwork.
Asbestos is the one household hazardous waste that still formally needs a consignment note. In practice, regulators don’t normally pursue householders who dispose of it correctly through a proper route.
What if you’re a business or landlord?
The rules are stricter for non-domestic premises and for anyone doing the work as part of their job:
- Duty to manage: owners and occupiers of commercial premises, and of the common parts of flats, must find out whether asbestos is present and manage it.
- Surveys before work: a refurbishment and demolition survey should be carried out before any significant building work on a pre-2000 building.
- Training: anyone who may disturb asbestos at work needs asbestos awareness training. Non-licensed removal needs specific training on top of that.
- Paperwork: asbestos from a business always needs a hazardous waste consignment note and a registered carrier.
For landlords and letting agents, managing asbestos in HMOs and blocks of flats is part of routine compliance. See our guide to skip hire for landlords and letting agents.
Frequently asked questions
Is it illegal to remove asbestos yourself?
Not for non-licensed materials such as asbestos cement. It is illegal to carry out licensable work (sprayed coatings, lagging, most AIB) without an HSE licence.
Can I put asbestos in a skip?
Not in a general waste skip. Asbestos needs a dedicated, lined or enclosed container.
How do I know if it’s asbestos?
You can’t tell by looking. Buildings built or refurbished before 2000 may contain it. A sample tested by an accredited lab is the only way to be sure.
Who do I ask if I’m unsure?
Your local council’s environmental health team, or a UKAS accredited asbestos surveyor.
Get asbestos collected safely
Select A Skip arranges licensed, fully documented asbestos collection across the UK, from a single garage roof to a full strip out. See our asbestos disposal service, request a quote or call 01743 341 000.
Sources: HSE asbestos FAQs and Asbestos Essentials; Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012; GOV.UK consignment note guidance. This article is general guidance and not a substitute for a professional asbestos survey.