AsbestosGuide.co.uk

A fully independent Asbestos surveying and consulting firm

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1 Grange Road
Bracknell
RG12 2HY
01344 860454
07540 249067
email: info@asbestosguide.co.uk

July 2010
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Asbestos death without direct exposure

Posted By admin on February 20, 2010

A mother-of-two and fitness fanatic has died after being exposed to asbestos through her father’s work clothes, an inquest has heard. Tracey Carpenter, 43, died in November last year at Kettering General Hospital where she was being treated for mesothelioma. She had contracted the disease despite never knowingly being exposed to the material.

The Coroner read a statement written by Tracey before she died in which she said she thought she could have been exposed to asbestos while at school, at Corby Motors or when she helped her father with his laundry. Her father, Charles Fairey, died in 1980, aged 56. He worked as a crane driver at a British Steel plant from 1956 to 1980. Tracey remembered her father coming home from work wearing dusty clothing when she was a child and helping with the laundry, which included his work clothes. Solicitors representing her had also been contacted by Clifford Gunn, who worked with her father and also has been diagnosed with the disease.

Why is asbestos in Artex?

Posted By admin on February 19, 2010

It may surprise you to know that it is nothing to do with fireproofing. In fact until the mid-1980s, the Artex ceiling coating was made with white asbestos to strengthen it. Its function being similar to that of the glass fibres that strengthen the plastic in fiberglass. This means that only old artex manufactured by Artex Ltd will contain asbestos and most probably any artex applied within the last 25 years will not contain any harmful material whatsoever. It is also worth noting that the asbestos is only harmful when in a dry, friable, or powder form (i.e. when being sanded or chipped off) and poses no risk whatsoever while it is undisturbed on ceilings or walls and covered with emulsion paint. According to the artex.co.uk website (”Asbestos in Artex” section), some of the lesser-known manufacturers were still adding asbestos to their products as late as 1999 so testing is generally appropriate before contemplating removal.

Inhaling microscopic asbestos fibres can cause asbestosis and mesothelioma - defined by the World Health Organization as cancers - so anyone removing the coating or working with a surface covered with it should wear protective clothing and masks – and the area being worked on should be sealed off. Removal of Artex is covered by the UK’s Asbestos (Licensing) Regulations 2006, which make it illegal (if it contains asbestos) for a contractor not licensed by the country’s Health and Safety Executive to undertake most work on asbestos coatings. Once removed, Artex and any other substance containing asbestos must be disposed of as hazardous waste. If the coating is left alone and coated with paint and undamaged, it may be safe to leave the coating in place and manage the risk ‘in situ’ by annual inspection. Plastering over the coating may ensure it is safely encapsulated.

The Berkshire Asbestos Support Group

Posted By admin on February 18, 2010

The Berkshire Asbestos Support Group is dedicated to providing support, advice and information to sufferers of asbestos related illnesses and their families. Join them on the first Tuesday of every month at Reading Town Hall. At these meetings they can provide support, advice and assistance on:

  • what benefits you and your family may be entitled to;
  • help completing the relevant paperwork;
  • information on whether you may be eligible for compensation;
  • links with local solicitors who can assist you with these types of claims;
  • and, most importantly, a friendly person for you to talk to.

Asbestos in Artex fail!

Posted By admin on January 29, 2010

This is the worst response I have ever seen on Yahoo Answers.

Someone called “Andrea B” writes as follows in answer to a question on the dangers of Asbestos in Artex ceilings.

After spending many hours scraping off artex using a steamer I would definitely recommend getting in a good plasterer and leaving the artex alone. I had no side effects from scraping - a few scalds from the steamer was as bad as it got.

Does she think that asbestosis is contracted in an afternoon of exposure? I can’t quite comprehend what makes this lady feels that she can offer advice on the risks of asbestos.

Are you ready for the new asbestos survey guidance?

Posted By admin on January 28, 2010

Last year the revised Health and Safety Executive (HSE) guidance for asbestos surveys came into force replacing current guidance known as MDHS 100. This will be a comprehensive regime covering surveying, sampling, and assessment of Asbestos Containing Materials (ACMs).

It will affect you if you are a duty holder. A duty holder is the person or organization having responsibility for non-domestic or domestic properties on whom falls the statutory duty to manage such premises so that occupants or employees are not exposed to risk from the presence of ACMs.

Unlike MDHS 100, the new survey guidelines impose express obligations on the duty holder in relation to the planning and execution of the asbestos survey. The HSE emphasizes that asbestos, a category 1 chemical carcinogen, is the cause of the greatest number of work-related deaths every year.

So what are the major changes?

Types of asbestos survey

Under the new regime, there are only two types of asbestos survey:

  • the management survey (broadly similar to the old Type 2 survey) - designed to locate, as far as reasonably practicable, the presence and extent of ACMs, so that the Duty holder can prepare a plan for the management of asbestos
  • the refurbishment/demolition survey (broadly similar to the old Type 3 survey) - a much more intrusive survey, designed to locate all the ACMs so they can be removed before the refurbishment (whether small scale or a large project) or demolition takes place. Aggressive inspection techniques will be required, so controls must be in place to prevent the spread of asbestos debris

Choosing the surveyor

The new Survey Guide imposes an obligation on the duty holder to check the competency of the surveyor, which involves a two stage process:

  • an assessment of the company’s or individual’s survey expertise to determine whether they can carry out the survey safely and without risk to health
  • an assessment of the company’s or individual’s experience and track record to establish if they are capable of doing the work

The duty holder should be satisfied that the surveyor can allocate adequate resources - personnel and time - to the survey. This will have implications for the cost of the survey.

Competence may be demonstrated by having accreditation from the United Kingdom Accreditation Service or British Occupational Hygiene Society. However, the survey guide clearly envisages that the duty holder will do more to check the surveyor’s competence then merely obtaining confirmation of his accreditation. This should be reinforced by evidence of actual experience - the HSE recommends at least six months practical experience on asbestos surveys.

Planning the survey

This involves a proactive approach from both the surveyor and the duty holder. Its success will depend upon extensive exchange of information and a clear understanding of each party’s responsibilities.

The duty holder should provide:

  • clear information on the number of buildings to be inspected
  • plans and relevant reports or surveys on the building design, structure and construction
  • information as to the use of the buildings and any known hazards
  • details of access arrangements to all relevant areas.

The surveyor should provide:

  • details of any caveats (see below)
  • confirmation of any areas not accessed
  • names of surveyors
  • timetable of work
  • plan of areas where sampling or asbestos disturbance will take place

Site meeting

A site meeting is recommended to assist the surveyor to plan the survey, for example to estimate the extent of sampling, to become aware of any on-site hazards or access problems. Such factors will enable an accurate fee quotation to be produced. There should be discussion about any areas that may be difficult to access, for example locked rooms, walls obscured by shelving or blocked areas. The duty holder should facilitate access.

The site meeting is also the opportunity to discuss any caveats that the surveyor intends to impose and to allow the duty holder to negotiate the terms or even to engage a different surveyor. The duty holder must remember that restrictions on the scope of the survey will potentially jeopardize the effectiveness of the survey, so if he seeks to restrict the surveyor’s access to particular areas, this may affect his ability to discharge the duty to manage asbestos.

The surveyor should be adequately prepared for accessing areas such as ceiling voids, lofts, lift shafts, basements or high ceilings. The duty holder should not accept that such restrictions on the surveyor’s ability to access such areas should impair the survey.

The survey guide says ‘survey restrictions and caveats can seriously undermine the management of asbestos in buildings. Most can be avoided by proper planning and discussion. They MUST be agreed between the duty holder and the surveyor and documented in the survey report’.

The widespread practice of including standard form caveats in asbestos survey reports is to be discouraged. As a matter of general contract law, they may be ineffective to protect a negligent surveyor.

Under the new HSE guidance, the duty holder cannot simply take advantage of the small print, for example excusing the surveyor from accessing areas above a certain height, to relieve him of his obligation to locate and manage asbestos.

Desk top study

As with MDHS 100, the new Survey Guide directs the surveyor to collate the information and plan the survey by means of a desktop study.

The Surveyor should then produce a plan summarizing the work to be undertaken. The final report format should be agreed in advance with the duty holder, bearing in mind that its purpose is to enable him to produce an updateable asbestos register and a plan showing the location of ACMs.

Carrying out the survey.

The new Survey Guide contains detailed instructions to the surveyor and largely reproduces in somewhat expanded form the contents of MDHS 100. The same applies in relation to the presentation of results. In addition, the new Survey Guide imposes an obligation on the duty holder to check the accuracy of the survey reports by checking:

  • the report against the original tender
  • that the survey is of the type requested
  • that all rooms and areas have been accessed
  • that sufficient samples have been taken (usually one or two per area or room)
  • for any obvious discrepancies and inconsistencies

Conclusion

Although the new Survey Guide does not depart radically from the framework laid down in MDHS100, it does represent an advance in relation to asbestos surveying. Duty holders should familiarise themselves with the express obligations imposed on them in relation to:

  • checking the surveyor’s competence
  • being involved at the survey planning stage
  • checking the survey reports

FAQ on Agricultural and Farm Asbestos

Posted By admin on January 20, 2010

We have had a few calls from Farmers wanting to start the process of complying with the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006. A few questions have been common:

  • How much will it cost? Like everything the answer is: It depends. However the first visit by one of our surveyors is free and is generally done within a few days of your call. After checking over the site a quote for the Asbestos Survey, and preparation of the Asbestos Registry and Management Plan will be provided.
  • How long will the process take? As stated above the first free visit will happen within a few days. Then when we have agreement on the price the survey/inspection can be arranged. This will take anything from one to four days to complete and then another week or so to document for approval. When approved it will be bound and two copies are provided for you to keep. This whole process can therefore take as little as two or three weeks from first call to completion.
  • Do I have to sign up for a continual inspection plan? In some cases this is a good idea, especially if the ACMs are in poor condition or if substantial work is envisaged. However it is NEVER required by us.
  • Can you do a general chat for a few of us? We are happy to address agricultural groups and explain the process and take any questions you may have. There is normally no charge for this

The Asbestos Regulations with regard to Farms and Agricultural Businesses

Posted By admin on January 19, 2010

The main regulation is the Control of Asbestos Regulation (CAR) of 2006. This regulation, in simple terms, says that:

  • There must be a defined Duty Holder empowered to be responsible for all asbestos related issues. This is usually the land owner though depending on the lease it can be the operator
  • The Duty Holder must survey all non-domestic buildings
  • To find and identify all the reasonably accessible asbestos containing materials (ACMs)
  • Record their condition in an Asbestos Register
  • Write a management plan based on the risk associated with the ACMs detailed in the Asbestos Register
  • Advise all involved of the management plan, and implement a system controlling access to the ACMs

In this post I will explain what is meant by non-domestic buildings, who has responsibility to manage the ACMs, how the survey should be carried out and by whom, and how ACMs should be managed. Again, this article will be aimed at farm buildings and infrastructure rather than general industrial premises.

A standard asbestos farm barn. Removal is not required but annual monitoring is.

A standard asbestos farm barn. Removal is not required but annual monitoring is.

This is only a brief guide; it is not a complete guide to managing asbestos in non-domestic buildings, nor is it a complete guide to health and safety responsibilities when on a farm. For more information on the survey and management of asbestos containing buildings please read and understand the Approved Code of Practice L127 ‘The Management of Asbestos in Non-Domestic Premises’ which is available from HSE Books.

What is meant by non-domestic premises?

Quite obviously it does not cover a domestic house, but where a building such as a barn has been converted or split into flats then the communal areas, such as foyers, corridors, lifts and lift shafts, staircases, boiler houses, vertical risers, gardens, yards and outhouses, are covered and so need to be surveyed. Common areas are not shared rooms such as kitchens or communal dinning rooms and lounges in shared housing or sheltered accommodation.

Who has the responsibility to manage the asbestos?

This is the Duty Holder who is the entity that has control of the repair and maintenance of the building, so it can be an individual such as a farmer, or a Company, or a tenant or a managing agent. This can at times be complicated and so should be expressly detailed in the documentation. A typical area of complication is a large building such as a farm yard that has been split into a number of different units some of which have been sold some of which have been rented out, with the tenants having different contracts with the building owner. Undoubtedly this will leave grey areas, such as party walls where it is not clear who has responsibility for the repair and maintenance. It will not be acceptable for some of the structure not to be surveyed, all those who might possible have responsibility must work together to ensure that the survey is carried out or they must treat the non-surveyed areas as containing asbestos unless they have good reason to believe otherwise. The owner may pass the repair and maintenance to a managing agent in which case it will be their responsibility to ensure that the survey is carried out and the management plan written. Where a premises is empty and unoccupied the duty holder is still the entity in control of the premises.

Who should carry out the Survey?

The Duty Holder must use a competent surveyor to carry out the survey in accordance with MDHS100 ‘Surveying, sampling and assessment of asbestos containing materials’ available from the HSE. The surveyor must be adequately trained, be able to demonstrate independence, impartiality and integrity and have an adequate quality management system. The usual way of ensuring that the surveyor is competent is to employ one that has personal P402 certification for asbestos surveying from the BOHS. All of the surveyors working for AsbestosGuide are fully P402 compliant.

The Survey

All non-domestic buildings must be surveyed and this to include fixed plant and machinery, but not those such as trucks that only come onto the premises from time to time. It should be noted that many old tractors and other old farm machinery are quite likely to contain asbestos in gaskets, brakes, clutches, under spray, etc. This may need to be checked. The survey needs to be carried out on the premises and their surrounds. Quite how far the word surrounds covers is unclear. In the past asbestos cement pipes were used as field drains particularly where they drained into ditches, The view from the HSE is that the surveyor can not be expected to survey for buried land drains but where the farmer or surveyor notices asbestos cement pipes used as drains this should be noted on the plans, especially when they are on or above the surface.

Many farmers have water or sewage pipes running across their land, some of which will be asbestos cement pipes. Since these pipes are under the control of water boards or sewage companies it is their responsibility to survey and manage them and not the farmers. There is an argument to say that the water or sewage company should advise the farmer of where any asbestos cement pipes are on his land although the risk from the asbestos even if the pipes are dug up is probably too small to be measurable unless they are aggressively abraded, or damaged during excavations.

Asbestos siding on a barn. Again, no removal is required just active monitoring.

Asbestos siding on a barn. Again, no removal is required just active monitoring.

The first task for the surveyor is to obtain or create a drawing of the premises and surrounds being surveyed. He should then check all drawings or paper work for indications of ACMs; check where possible with designers, builders and relevant employees and check for refurbishment or repairs, which may contain ACMs. Following this deskwork all the buildings, plant and surrounds should be thoroughly inspected, but before work starts a risk assessment should be carried out and method statements written on how to reduce the risks found. Typical risks on a farm are; working at heights, working in confined spaces, working near large animals, breathing in asbestos fibres, contact with hazardous chemicals, etc. During the survey the drawings and other papers provided should be checked for accuracy. Where ACMs are found they should be clearly marked on the drawings plus their condition should be recorded. Since it is likely that these drawings will be used by employees who do not have a good knowledge of the building trade or its terminology it is important that the recording is done in such a ways as to
ensure that the non-expert understands no only that asbestos is present but exactly where it is present. Where access is not gained to any area and so it is not surveyed this must be clearly marked on the drawing and that area must be treated as if there is asbestos present unless there is good reason to believe other wise.

Recognising ACMs on farms

It is sometimes difficult to tell the difference between an asbestos cement product and a low-density insulation board, but there are a few rules that can be followed. The ACM will be asbestos cement if:

  • the product has been used as a roofing or cladding product, open to the weather. Manufacture of all low density asbestos products was stopped in the late 70’s and since they were not weather resistant, if they had been fixed outside they would have broken down long before now.
  • the product is moulded as low-density products were not moulded, except
    as half rounds for pipe lagging.
  • the product is in sheet form and has been used as animal pens or in wet areas. Low-density products were not robust enough to be used as animal housing nor could they withstand wet conditions without breaking down.

When cementitious products like asbestos cement were manufactured, they generally had a cement-rich surface. The asbestos fibres were encapsulated within. Thus, occupants of buildings with asbestos cement sheet or slate roofs are unlikely to be at any greater risk than people outside in the fresh air. The small quantities of fibres released during natural weathering are unlikely to be dangerous but significant and possibly dangerous amounts of fibre can be released if the products are subject to any abrasive cleaning or working. It is therefore important to use the correct techniques and working practices when handling asbestos cement ACMs.

An example of an asbestos pipe in acceptable condition when used for irrigation.

An example of an asbestos pipe in acceptable condition when used for irrigation.

Non-asbestos alternatives to asbestos cement began to be introduced to the UK market in 1984, but asbestos cement products continued to be supplied into the UK market until 1999. So any product that looks like asbestos cement that was supplied prior to 1984 will contain asbestos, any product supplied after 1984 until 1999 could be an ACM. Unless one can find an identification mark on the product it is not possible for the layman to look at a sheet and tell whether it contains asbestos or not and in many cases even an expert can not tell without finding the mark or having a sample analysed. The manufacturers’ mark on profiled sheets is indented into the overlap of the side lap roll, it will normally, in code form, give the name of the manufacturer, the date of manufacture, the shift and possible the machine it was made on. If it contains asbestos it will contain the letters AC if it is non-asbestos it will contain the letters NT. With slates the mark was ink jetted on to the back of approximately one in twenty products, with the same letters denoting whether they contain asbestos not. Finding these marks can be a problem, with slates a quantity will need to be removed before the mark is found and so unless you have good reason to believe that they are non-asbestos they should be treated as asbestos cement ACM. For roofs fixed after 1984, when the slates could be asbestos cement or non-asbestos, looking at the original specification may help but a number of specifications were changed by the roofing contractor because asbestos cement slates were cheaper than their non-asbestos alternatives, and the client and designer were not necessarily notified of the change. It may therefore be necessary if one has to work on these products to either treat them as ACMs or arrange for a sample to be removed and analysed by a competent laboratory.

With Profiled sheets identification is not a lot easier, although the sheets should have originally carried the indent on the overlap roll this did not always happen or the imprint is too vague to be read. There is also the problem that unless the roof is relatively resent it will be dirty and covered in moss and lichens, which will once again make the marks harder to read. It should of course be remembered when accessing the roof to check for the mark that both asbestos cement and unreinforced fibre cement sheets are very fragile and so protection must be provided to the operative to ensure that he cannot fall through the product, a far more immediate and serious risk than the risk of catching an asbestos related disease. In the mid 1990s some profiled sheet manufacturers started to inkjet the underside of their sheets with the production mark. On a single skin construction this should be seen from ground level and again if there is the letters AC in the mark then it is an ACM if the letters NT are in the mark then the product does not contain asbestos. For other moulded products the position of the mark will vary, with some having no mark, where there is a mark the same lettering applies. Very few flat sheet products will have any marks.

Information the survey report should contain:

  • The report must record in detail the position the type and the condition of ACMs. All areas not surveyed must be presumed to contain asbestos unless there is good reason to believe otherwise.
  • It should provide details of the risk associated with the ACMs found. .

Asbestos cement in good condition does not easily release fibres unless it is aggressively abraded, Asbestos cement that has been badly attacked by acids or alkalis may easily release fibres. It is sometimes assumed that asbestos cement cannot release fibres unless it is abraded, this is normally the case, but there have been situations where the lack of ventilation in a cattle building that had far too many cattle in it and was very infrequently cleaned out, had such aggressive condensate to be formed that the cement had been eaten way on the underside of the sheet, to such an extent that all that was left was pure asbestos mats hanging down from the roof sheeting. Obviously a very high-risk area where no one should be allowed in such buildings with out full protection.

What should be done with the report?

The report should be kept in a prominent position for the life of the buildings, revised when conditions change, available for anyone using the building to read and based on the report a management plan for the ACMs must be written and acted upon.

Managing asbestos containing materials

The management should be based on the risk level associated with the situation, with the underlying theme being:

  • ACMs, which are sound, undamaged and not releasing fibres, should not
    be disturbed; their condition should be monitored on a regular basis.
  • Where possible damaged materials should be repaired and then protected
    as necessary, provided that the repair or sealing will be durable and not
    likely to be disturbed.
  • Removal should only be performed where repair is not possible or the
    material is likely to be disturbed.
  • A plan must be written, which sets out the risks and how those risks will be
    minimised.
  • Normally it is necessary to check what type of asbestos the ACMs contain but with asbestos cement because the fibres are locked onto the matrix of the product, the HSE has agreed that under normal conditions there is no requirement to check the type. Though usually the type of fibre is ascertained during the analysis.

Based on the risk, decisions will have to be taken as to what action needs to be taken with each ACM. Often as asbestos cement products age they harden and so even an old product is unlikely to release fibres unless it is strongly abraded. There are though very rare situations such as the one mentioned above where chemicals can attack the product and leave raw asbestos behind. When this happens the product must be safely removed and replaced. This would be a very high priority. If any action is taken it must be recorded and the original report amended accordingly.

Where buildings or plant do contain ACMs it is a good idea to set controls on maintenance or building work, such as, no work must be started with out the written authority of the building controller. Consideration should be given to labeling all ACMs, although on a typical working farm building this is probably not required as the ACMs will be fairly obvious. The risks from the ACMs should be regularly re-assessed, with working farm buildings unless there have been changes to use, this re-assessment probably needs to be every year.

Farmer convicted and fined for asbestos offences

Posted By admin on January 18, 2010

A farmer who stored waste on his land close to work being carried out on a sea wall, has (Tues) been fined £4,000 and ordered to pay full Environment Agency costs of £3,582 after pleading guilty to breaching the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Howard Alexander Baker of Lovedown Farm, Lower Road, Hockley, Essex was visited by Environment Agency officers in June last year after a report he was taking waste onto the farm. He told them that he was bringing in soil for ongoing work to a sea wall. The officer told him that the majority of the wastes he had on site were not suitable for that use and that to store waste on the farm he would need a waste management licence or an exemption.

Mrs Anne-Lise McDonald prosecuting told Harlow Magistrates’ Court that waste at the farm included green waste, concrete, mixed soil, chipboard, plastic, garden furniture and even an armchair. In July when two Environment Agency officers again visited the site, Baker refused entry to the farm and told them to come back in seven days with 24 hours’ notice. A few days later they returned again with officers from the Agency’s Environmental Crime Team and a warrant to enter the farm. They seized pieces of chrysotile asbestos and found piles of wood and green waste heavily contaminated with treated wood products, plastics, paper, metals, roofing felt, drain pipes and other materials as well as two large piles of ash and burnt wastes.

Behind some waste they found a ditch which had been filled in with hardcore and soils. Among the waste were two more pieces of chrysotile asbestos and even more was found among other waste. Officers were unable to interview Baker at their offices after he failed to attend a meeting. Mrs McDonald told the court that the farm was close to several important local, national and international conservation sites and although there had been no evidence of pollution to the environment the waste had spoiled the look of the countryside.

‘Whilst it is not clear what Mr Baker’s purpose was in keeping some of the waste, as he did not attend interview under caution, he was aware of the need for a waste management licence or exemption for the activities on site,’ said Mrs McDonald. ‘Although the offence covers just over a month there was evidence that waste had been stored on the site for some time.’

Baker pleaded guilty to keeping controlled waste on land at Lovedown Farm, Lower Road, Hockley, Essex, between 18 June 2007 and 31 July 2007 when there was not in force a Waste Management Licence granted by the enforcing authority pursuant to sections 35 and 36 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 authorising the said keeping, contrary to Section 33(1)(b) and section 33(6) Environmental Protection Act 1990.

‘The waste permitting system is designed to protect the environment and human health. By avoiding the costs involved in obtaining and working to the standards required by a permit, Mr Baker undermined the legitimate waste management industry. This case shows that the Environment Agency takes it role as a regulator seriously and will hopefully deter others from disposing of waste illegally.’
- Environment Agency officer Jenny Martin

Marks and Spencer in Reading prosecuted for asbestos failings

Posted By admin on January 18, 2010

On January 12th 2010 at Bournemouth Magistrates’ court the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) initiated criminal proceedings against Marks and Spencer plc and four other companies for asbestos-related breaches during refurbishment work at shops in Reading, Bournemouth and Plymouth, where it is alleged that the companies failed to ensure that staff and members of the public were not exposed to risks from asbestos-containing materials.

The HSE is getting tougher with businesses that fail to comply with asbestos laws. Do you have your Asbestos Management Plan documented? The penalties range as high as jail for serious offences.

Asbestos for farmers

Posted By admin on January 17, 2010

The National Farmers Union are concerned by the cost of the new regulations governing the disposal of white asbestos cement, used in many thousands of post-war farm buildings. Until 2006 white asbestos cement could still be disposed of by burying it or using it as rubble for farm tracks. But since then farmers have had to pay up to £400 a ton to have it removed to a hazardous waste site (95 per cent of which have been closed down under an EU directive). A recent study has shown that more than 50,000 farms have buildings containing asbestos cement, many of which will have to be replaced in coming years. For an average quantity of 300 tons, the cost of disposal would be £120,000 per farm - and the total bill about £6 billion.

Many farmers want an amendment to the HSE’s interpretation of EU law, returning the situation to where it was in 2006 years ago, so that white asbestos cement need not be disposed of at crippling expense. They cite as precedent a change of the law in 2005, when the Environment Agency allowed that road “planings”, which are removed when roads are resurfaced, could be used to repair farm tracks instead of having, under EU law, to be landfilled.

This is not going to happen as the risk factors across the different “colours” of asbestos are virtually identical. The HSE remains adamant that white asbestos is far too dangerous for the law to be changed. As a result many farmers are dangerously non-compliant with the law leaving themselves open to both criminal and civil charges.