# Forum Home Renovation Asbestos  Asbestos disposal options in Brisbane?...

## Batpig

Dear Gentlemen, 
I'm on the northside of Brisbane with about 4sq.m of old cement wall sheeting (that probably has Asbestos in it) all nicely wrapped up in two thick plastic packages. The question now is - where can I take it for disposal? 
An attendant at the BCC call centre tells me that they will only accept the stuff for dumping from licensed Asbestos contractors - even if the quantities are less than 10sq.m. Can any of you confirm that this is indeed the case? 
Many Thanks,
Batpig.

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## mt mellum

Up here on the sunny coast, we can do it privately as long as its below 10sq m however the charges are roughly the same as using a contractor (less of course the contractors charge) and require declarations, booking in a time to dispose, double bagging and bust proof and inspections at the tip point by the council. no dropping was allowed and effectively it had to be craned into the hole they prepared (lined etc). also had to be sprayed with a bonding agent (e.g pva solution) 
in the long run it was easier to have the contractor come and pcik it up, tell them you've done the hard work and it just needs picking up. some of the skip companies do it a bit cheaper than the companies that do it all.  
the other option I've heard about is (if you're patient) is to break it up slowly, double bag it and put it through your kerbside. most times it ends up in the same tip point. however that's illegal and something I'd never do.

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## Animalector

shout me a carton of scotch and Dry's  and I'll come pick it up and take it to the Browns Plains dump for you..  I have disposed of 2 pallets worth there, all wrapped up cost me about $30..  it's like $12 for the first 30kg, then like $8 per 30kg after that or some number... 
How far north are you?? 
Andy

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## Batpig

Dear MtMell & Andy, 
Thanks for the replies. Andy - I appreciate the offer, but I'm going to have to do something a little more "official" with the stuff, because an as-yet-unknown neighbour has brought firstly the Council and now the Health Department in on the whole shebang, and my Rrr's could well be grass if I don't have some documentation to prove that I've done the right thing with the lethal load should one of them decide to get muscly with me. It will therefore have to be either me taking the stuff directly to a suitable Tip that will issue a receipt to me (hopefully here on the northside), or me having to ring a licenced Asbestos-Removal Contractor who will issue a receipt to me upon taking the stuff off my hands... 
Best Wishes,
Batpig.

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## Animalector

well if that is the case.. Browns Plains dump (long way south i know..) is a perfectly legal place to dump it.. and they can give you a receipt.. as for the removal, i am pretty sure you are allowed to remove it yourself, just no power tools during the removal process... so hopefully you don't have too much trouble with the neighbours..  give me a PM if you decide you want a hand to move it..  I live down here (Browns Plains) and I am often on the northside to visit friends, so it wouldn't be TOO much trouble :2thumbsup:  
Goodluck, 
Andy

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## Vernonv

Batpig,
Surely you can't get in trouble for not having in your possession the "alleged" asbestos and as long as you are not caught illegally dumping it, they can't touch you. Giving it to someone (commercial or private) to legally dump it also shouldn't be a problem.

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## Compleat Amateu

Jeez, I never thought Sydney would be easier than BrisVegas for anything remotely environmental, but there you are! 
I had about 3 sqm of AC eaves sheeting to dispose of just a few weeks ago, bagged and sealed it etc, then found a licensed tip on the web (could have gone to about 4 of them in reasonable distance), and took it over in the car.  All very easy, "take it over there and chuck it in where it says asbestos".  About $10-$15, from memory.

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## Batpig

Dear Guys, 
Andy - I'm taking it that Brown's Plains must be a Hardfill site. As things currently stand at the time of this post, one is indeed allowed to remove the stuff, particularly if it is: 
1) In "Bonded" form - ie. a cement-sheet type product (including "Super 6" corrugated roofing) - as opposed to the "Unbonded" fluffy stuff, which is truly dangerous and only removable by a licenced contractor. 
2) The amount being removed is less than 10sq.m. 
3) The appropriate safety measures are employed, such as wearing a half-face mask, regularly wetting the sheet during removal and handling, no use of Power Tools during the process (as you have already shrewdly pointed out...), followed by enclosure of it within two layers of thick plastic that are subsequently sealed, with Warning Signs attached. 
I've already removed the sheet in question in accordance with the above, and I've got it all "Tagged and Bagged" and ready to ship out... 
Vernon - In conversations with the enquiring Council Officer (who was contacted by the neighbour in question), I've already confirmed that I have removed some sheet-product that _probably_ contains Asbestos. The Counil chap has been exceptionally fair-handed and polite in his approach to the matter and dealings with me, but at the end of the day he has had to follow their official procedure, which (at this stage at least, until the Council becomes insured for on-site inspections of this nature) forwards all such enquiries on to the Qld Govt Health Department. I am therefore envisaging some future contact from them, which I reckon will go along the lines of something like: "Oh... So you've already removed it... You wont mind showing us the receipt for it's disposal, will you?..." And with regard to the last sentence, I wouldn't mind betting that they pull something on me like "You do realise that you are required by statutory law to retain all such receipts relating to the disposal of Asbestos products, and that your responsibility and liability under this law cannot be wavered by ignorance of it..." (So it's okay to tell lies up here in Queensland to the whole State - if you're a Member of Parliament - but it's probably a crime to properly dispose of Asbestos without retaining the receipt... Anyone who lives up here knows how crazy this R'shole Government is... :Mad: ) So the long and the short of it is - I want the receipt because I've already 'Fessed Up, and I don't think I've heard the last of the matter. It all depends on how much of a Bee in their Bonnet the neighbour ends up getting as a result of not being able to force me to bring in a Contractor... 
Compleat - maybe Sydney is losing all of it's hitherto high ratio of R'sholes up here to Bashville, and is becoming more laid back as a result, while we continue all the time to keep "Winding Up" tighter and tighter (sort of like a Southern-Hemisphere New York, if you will... :Frown: ) 
Andy - If I can remember, I'll give my local Councillor a call tomorrow about whether there are any Hardfill sites on this side of town, and go from there. I'll certainly keep your offer in mind... 
Many Thanks,
Batpig.

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## benja

Try this. http://www.health.qld.gov.au/asbesto...os_book_07.pdf
When i went through my training at the start of the year, 10m squared was acceptable to be removed by a layman, provided the correct PPE and measures were used, ait had to be double bagged( wrapped) then could be disposed of at any council disposal site. Surely the guy investigating you (thanks to your ignorant neighbour) could advise you on a course of disposal? I would think thats part of his job. 
Cheers
Benja

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## Batpig

Dear Benja, 
So far I've rung - 1) the Council's regular phone number; 2) the Council chap who is looking into the matter; and 3) my local Council Member, and alas - none of them have been able to suggest anything other than contacting a licenced Asbestos Removal Contractor to come around and collect the stuff from me for a fee. When I mentioned the Browns Plains Hardfill site that Andy suggested, all three of them just pleaded ignorance and said there's certainly nowhere over this side of town that is equivalent for my purposes. For obvious reasons, it will be prudent to wait until some time early in the new year, and then ring a few such Contractors who regularly advertise in the Tradie's section of the Local Rag. No sweat - the stuff is all wrapped up and in an out-of-the-way but undercover position where I can still see it (for memory-jogging purposes) each time I walk to the car... 
Best Wishes,
Batpig

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## AIRMAN

I copied this from the BCC website, doesn't make any reference to anything other than "commercial quantities" so there must be a rule about them accepting small amounts they just don't want to encourage it by advertising the fact, propably due to the high fees they make from commercial guys.  *Commercial disposal of asbestos*   _Brisbane Landfill can accept commercial quantities of asbestos. Commercial customers must be licensed with the Environmental Protection Agency of Queensland as licensed waste transporters._ _Commercial quantities of asbestos cannot be accepted without a booking. To book, phone Council on 07 3403 8888._ _Council cannot accept fibrous asbestos for disposal._ _Only a certified asbestos contractor can remove or dispose of fibrous asbestos: check the Yellow Pages under 'Asbestos Removal and/or Treatment'._

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## q9

The magic figure everywhere seems to be 10m2 so I guess anything over that is "commercial" quantity and anything under would be domestic.  Toowoomba tip accepts asbestos still, but may be a bit far  :Wink:

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## pharmaboy2

> I  *Commercial disposal of asbestos*   _Brisbane Landfill can accept commercial quantities of asbestos. Commercial customers must be licensed with the Environmental Protection Agency of Queensland as licensed waste transporters._ _Commercial quantities of asbestos cannot be accepted without a booking. To book, phone Council on 07 3403 8888._ _Council cannot accept fibrous asbestos for disposal._ _Only a certified asbestos contractor can remove or dispose of fibrous asbestos: check the Yellow Pages under 'Asbestos Removal and/or Treatment'._

  that sounds like a real motivator for the small quantities of asbestos sheet  to go in general landfill.  one law says you need to dispose of DIY quantities appropriately, and a city of 1.8m people cant even provide a service at the tip!! No wonder so much of the stuff is pulled out and disapears majically!

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## q9

By fibrous asbestos, I think they mean loose fibre material.  Old roofing material in poor condition would fit that description from what I have found over the last couple of days of research.  That has to be disposed of differently, and generally gets buried deep in the ground.  Non-fibrous would mean stuff like cement sheeting which is in generally good condition with the cement still encasing the fibres.  This still gets buried, but it is far less hazardous to be around.  To be honest, if you have some loose fibre asbsetos, you don't want to be anywhere near it anyway.

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## anawanahuanana

Can you not dump it at the Pine Rivers (Moreton Bay!) council tip in Dakabin? I was there today and they have a big board outside showing you where to go with asbestos containing materials, and a few points (about what it should be wrapped in etc).

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## chuth77

Dakabin is the place to Dump Asbestos. If you're not a Moreton Bay Council resident, it will cost you,but they will take it...

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## Batpig

Dear Guys,  

> Dakabin is the place to Dump Asbestos. If you're not a Moreton Bay Council resident, it will cost you,but they will take it...

  I figured everyone would be back at work today, so I gave Pine Rivers Shire a call this afternoon. It turns out that the Asbestos Disposal Rate at Dakabin for "non-residents" is $150/tonne (which works out to 15c/kg...) 
Not too bad - in my case we're probably only talking about 40kg or so... 
Only problem is... the minimum charge is $150!  :Eek:   :Eek:   :Eek:  (to the sound of the "Psycho" Shower-Scene...) 
Methinks I might have to ring a few Contractors to see if they're interested in a drive-by collection for somewhat less than $150. 
Best Wishes,
Batpig.

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## q9

That's interesting hearing about their pricing.  Toowoomba has DROPPED the price of asbestos dumping from $77/t to $66/t with a $6 minimum.  I guess they've taken the view that the cheaper it is to comply, the more people will do the right thing.  After all, all you're really paying for is someone to dozer a heap of dirt over the top...

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## Batpig

Dear Guys, 
I ended up weighing my two wrapped parcels of removed-fibro last week, and together they came to about 49kg. I then phoned a few of the Asbestos Removal Blokes in the Local Rag, and the best quote for a drive-by collection from my place was $88 (incl. GST), from the following outfit: 
B.S & K.M. Jones - Ph. 3423 2044 
The chap I spoke to was Bruce Jones (Mob. 0412 377115) and he was courteous, interested, and not-at-all pushy on all three occasions that I talked to him. They are fully licensed for this type of work by the E.P.A. and the truck that pulled up out the front was pretty big, even though their quote was the lowest. Even the Truck Driver seemed like a reasonable bloke. 
Might pay to give them a call if you're ever in the same predicament and looking for quotes... 
Best Wishes,
Batpig.

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