Improving asbestos waste disposal

Problem

The cost and inconvenience of asbestos disposal is often raised as a major influence over whether asbestos is disposed of safely and legally.

Many factors contribute to inappropriate disposal: perceived and actual costs, access to suitable disposal facilities, the need to separate asbestos from other materials before sending it to waste facilities, and tracking asbestos waste from site to landfill. Asbestos cannot be recycled and has only one destination – landfill. If not handled safely and legally, it will contaminate other recyclable materials and prevent them from circulating back into the economy.

The EPA has targeted many of these factors through the NSW Asbestos Waste Strategy 2019–2021. Ongoing work in partnership with state and local government agencies will be critical to the integrated management of end-of-life asbestos waste.

Outcomes sought

• Householders and businesses understand what they need to do to dispose of asbestos waste safely and legally.
• When people transport and dispose of asbestos in NSW, good practice is the norm and bad practice is rare.
• Everybody who transports and disposes of asbestos waste finds it easy and affordable to do legally and safely.

Key issues to address

• Asbestos can contaminate recyclable materials. Waste transport and disposal systems need to facilitate separation of asbestos from recyclable materials. This also applies to separation systems at the source site of the asbestos materials
• Unexpected finds of asbestos can lead to less safe and legal disposal. When the presence of asbestos is known before building work starts, it can save on delays and extra costs, according to NSW research (Asbestos Safety Part 1 – Household Renovations and Maintenance 2019, EPA). Identification is key.
• Asbestos removal and disposal needs careful management for the safety of all from site to landfill, and to ensure a ‘chain of custody’ from beginning to end. This adds immediate costs and time upfront, but minimises longer-term health and environmental impacts down the line.
• Landfill charges are not the only cost driver for disposal. Costs for asbestos disposal depend on many factors including quantity and type of asbestos, and whether it is separated from other materials. The EPA has consulted with stakeholders on the removal of the waste levy from householder amounts of asbestos, charged on waste as it enters landfill. It will be part of the EPA’s waste levy review in 2023.