Responsibilities for handling and managing asbestos

This page explains which agencies are responsible for managing risks associated with asbestos. It also outlines Council’s commitment and responsibilities relating to managing asbestos in a safe way.

The information on this page applies to friable, non-friable (bonded), and naturally occurring asbestos within the Eurobodalla Shire. For specific advice about asbestos, please contact the relevant organisation.

Useful acronyms:

  • EPA: NSW Environmental Protection Authority.
  • LGNSW: Local Government NSW.

Definitions:

  • Friable asbestos: Products that contain friable asbestos are soft and loose - you can crumble them into a fine material or dust with very light pressure (ie, with your hand). These products usually have high levels of asbestos (up to 100% in some instances), which is loosely held in the product so that the asbestos fibres are released into the air.
  • Non-friable asbestos: Bonded asbestos products made from a bonding compound (such as cement) mixed with a small proportion (usually less than 15%) of asbestos. These products are solid, rigid and non-friable; asbestos fibres are tightly bound in the product and are not usually released into the air. Common names for these products are ‘fibro’, ‘asbestos cement’ and ‘AC sheeting’. On this page, we refer to bonded asbestos products as ‘asbestos cement materials’ (or ‘asbestos cement sheeting’).
  • Workplace: A place where a worker carries out work for a business or undertaking. This includes any place where a worker goes, or is likely to be, while at work.

Asbestos removal: bonded

Where amount of material is less than 10m2

Regulatory authority:

Where amount of material is greater than 10m2

Regulatory authority:

More information

Asbestos removal: friable

  • Friable asbestos is material that is in a powder form, or that you can crumble, pulverise or reduce to a powder by hand pressure when dry, and contains asbestos. Examples include:
    • pipe lagging
    • boiler insulation
    • fire retardant material on steel work
    • sprayed insulation
    • electrical board linings (millboard).
  • A class A licensed asbestos removalist must carry out the demolition work in line with the Safe Work Australia Demolition Work Code of Practice 2018.

Regulatory authority:

More information

Asbestos removal: residential building works/demolition

Where removal requires development consent:

  • Council may impose conditions of consent for asbestos disposal in a development consent. This will ensure asbestos is safely removed where identified or is reasonably assumed to be present.

Regulatory authority:

More information

Asbestos disposal

  • Eurobodalla Shire has two licensed facilities that accept asbestos material:
    • Brou landfill - 02 4476 8310
    • Surf Beach landfill - 02 4471 2462.
  • You need to call 24 hours before delivery to the landfill site and provide the address where the asbestos has come from.
  • The asbestos must be wet down, wrapped in thick plastic or double wrapped, taped down and labelled as ‘asbestos’.
  • Council's A-Z of recycling and waste disposal page about asbestos provides guidance on correct disposal procedures.

Regulatory authority:

  • NSW EPA licences Eurobodalla Shire Council’s landfill sites.
  • NSW EPA tracks the transport of asbestos waste >10m2 /100kg.
  • Eurobodalla Shire Council.

More information

Illegally dumped asbestos

Where the asbestos-containing material is a risk to the environment and human health:

  • Asbestos-containing material has been dumped in a location which is not licensed to receive it.

Regulatory authority:

  • SafeWork NSW, where the site is a ‘workplace’ by definition under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011.
  • Eurobodalla Shire Council Rangers on public land under Council control.
  • NSW EPA, where Eurobodalla Shire Council is not the appropriate regulatory authority, or where significant contamination has occurred.

More information

Residential buildings - intact

Where residential buildings use bonded asbestos-containing material, which is in good condition and undisturbed

  • Bonded asbestos products present a very low risk for people in contact with them, if they use appropriate safety precautions.

Regulatory authority:

More information

Where buildings use friable asbestos, including 'Mr Fluffy', for insulation

  • The NSW Government has to maintain a register of residential properties that contain loose-fill asbestos insulation.
  • The Loose-fill Asbestos Insulation Register is in line with the Home Building Act 1989.

Regulatory authority:

More information

Derelict buildings

  • Weathering or damage may cause bonded asbestos to become friable.
  • Where there is a risk to public health, or the premises is not in a safe or healthy condition.

Regulatory authority:

  • Eurobodalla Shire Council.

More information

Council workplaces: buildings, structures and assets

Council should:

  • minimise the risk of exposure to asbestos to residents, ratepayers, the public, and workers (includes employees, volunteers and contractors) in all Council workplaces and sites
  • maintain a register of asbestos-containing material on Council buildings, structures and assets
  • ensure appropriate safe work method statements and procedures are in place for work involving asbestos-containing material.

Regulatory authority:

More information

Contaminated land

Where asbestos-containing material contaminates land

  • Investigation, management, compliance action and remediation of contaminated land.
  • Landowners, occupiers or land managers are responsible for the clean-up of contaminated land.

Regulatory authority:

  • NSW EPA, where the site is significantly contaminated under the Contaminated Land Management Act 1997.
  • Eurobodalla Shire Council, where the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 and State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP) (Resilience and Hazards) 2021 applies to the site. 
  • Council records contaminated sites: this information is available in a section 10.7 planning certificate.

More information

Where land has a probability of containing naturally occurring asbestos

  • Asbestos occurs in some rocks and soils as a natural mineral. Eurobodalla Shire has a low risk of naturally occurring asbestos.
  • SafeWork NSW and LGNSW have mapped areas that could contain some asbestos, mainly in the Narooma/Tilba Tilba area.
  • This information is available as a layer in Council’s land-mapping system.
  • Anyone who needs to dig in the areas marked on the map must take appropriate precautions.

Regulatory authority:

More information

Asbestos transporters and facilities that receive asbestos waste

Regulatory authority:

  • NSW EPA tracks the transport of asbestos waste >10m2 /100kg.
  • Eurobodalla Shire Council records all asbestos waste that arrives at their landfill sites.
  • SafeWork NSW, where the site is a ‘workplace’ by definition under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011.

More information

Where a widespread event has occurred, and there is a risk of public exposure to asbestos-containing material

  • Action taken must be in line with the NSW Government's Hazardous Materials Emergency Sub-Plan.

Regulatory authority:

More information

We can help you

If you need more information about asbestos, please contact our Public and Environmental Health Team: