Waste Services
Asbestos
What is Asbestos?
Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that was commonly used in the past as a building material for sound and heat insulation, fire-proofing, and other construction purposes. Under E.U. legislation, the placing on the market of asbestos and asbestos-containing products is prohibited, and you can no longer buy or re-use asbestos products in Ireland. However, many older houses and buildings in Ireland still contain asbestos products that were mainly used as insulation, fire-proofing, roofing and flooring materials.
If asbestos-containing material is present in a building or structure, this does not necessarily mean that it must be removed. It may sometimes be a safer option to maintain the asbestos in place, rather than to remove or disturb the material, and thus increase the risk of releasing asbestos fibres into the air. Asbestos must always be removed before a building is demolished, to prevent the risk of the fibres spreading and contaminating the surrounding area.
Removal & Disposal of Asbestos
Asbestos removal and disposal is a complex and potentially hazardous procedure that should only be undertaken by a specialist contractor with an appropriate Waste Collection Permit. While many waste collectors have Permits, they are often not allowed to accept hazardous materials such as asbestos. Always confirm that a waste contractor possesses the correct Permit before engaging them to remove asbestos - you can also check with your local authority to ensure that a particular company has a valid Waste Collection Permit. Please remember that it is an offence to hand over waste to an unauthorised waste collector.
Please note that asbestos waste material cannot be accepted at Ballyogan Recycling Park or any other Council facility.
The Enforcement Section can provide a sample list of correctly permitted asbestos removal companies. However, please note that this list is for information purposes only, and the Council does not endorse any individual company. As prices for professional asbestos removal or surveying can vary significantly, several contractors should be contacted in order to obtain different job quotes.
Further detailed information on asbestos is contained in the following document Asbestos In Ireland (pdf -220kb).
If you have any queries or concerns regarding asbestos disposal please contact the Enforcement Section at (01) 2047 954, or e-mail wasteenforcement@dlrcoco.ie
