Asbestos in Soils in the UK

Asbestos in soils has been an issue on sites throughout the UK for many years. The risks can be very costly.

The risks and requirements for dealing with asbestos in soils depend upon the types of material encountered.

Our team of asbestos consultants can assist with all manner of asbestos in soils from first site inspection to final site sign off.

Most asbestos in soils in the U.K. is located to brownfield sites. The asbestos sites usually fall into one of the following categories:

• Previous demolition waste or spoil used as back fill, made ground or sub base on newer construction

• Imported crushed materials that have not been screened for asbestos at the crushing facility

• Illegally dumped asbestos contaminating clean areas (both brown field and greenfield sites)

• Ground contamination spread from old asbestos plants and facilities

• Asbestos interspersed with burnt materials following major fires

Our team can assist with all types of site and asbestos in all conditions and extents.

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Where left undisturbed in the soil most asbestos materials pose a low risk to human health.

The risks to health rise as the asbestos is disturbed through site work, investigation or simply trafficking over contaminated areas.

The level of asbestos exposure goes up the more friable (likelihood of giving off airborne fibres) a material is coupled with the level of disturbance.

All types of asbestos can be present within soils.

This includes high-risk materials such as loose-fill asbestos insulation, asbestos lagging, insulation products, and asbestos insulating board (AIB).

Lower risk asbestos materials can also be located such as asbestos cement, textured coatings and thermoplastics such as floor tiles and bitumen.

It is important to note that asbestos fibres may not be visible in soils. As the materials have usually been through the demolition and crushing process they have usually been broken down into very small fragments not visible to the naked eye.

The only way to see these asbestos fibres is in a laboratory test.

It is possible to get significant asbestos exposure from untreated and non-controlled operations where asbestos is present in the soil.

DO I NEED TO DO ANYTHING FOR ASBESTOS IN SOILS?

As with anything asbestos-related, there is a legal duty to ensure the works you do are carried out safely and do not harm anyone involved or impacted by the works. This can include yourself, your contractors, site visitors, and the general public.

As such if you have a site with asbestos there are a number of things you have to do to ensure you are compliant with the regulations in terms of asbestos.

Not sure about your legal requirements? Speak to a member of the team for free impartial advice today on 01913545870.

The Asbestos Audit team has been working with asbestos in soils for over 20 years. In that time, we have built up a vast knowledge of the subject and in turn, the most cost-effective and safe way to deal with both small and large-scale contamination works.

We have managed the asbestos in soils for many clients on a variety of sites ranging from small residential dwellings to former asbestos factories with large scale ground contamination in shipyards to housing estates. Throughout all of our work we ensure the safety and compliance of our clients.

We are members of CL:aire (Contaminated Land: Applications in real environments) and accredited to ATaC, CHAS, SMAS alongside a range of other accreditation’s.

Asbestos in soils testing, investigation and recommendations

We can take asbestos tests from your site for independent analysis by accredited laboratories alongside assessing and investigating your site for asbestos. This gives you a full picture of the asbestos findings, risks associated with the asbestos located and the risk from the findings and recommendations for dealing with your asbestos.

Our team can tell you what types of asbestos are in the soil, the locations and the density of asbestos located. From there a plan for remediation or removal can be implemented. We can also provide all the relevant paperwork for Hazardous Waste Disposal and WAC testing where required.

Asbestos in soils risk assessment

Asbestos Audit can assess the risk of the asbestos located.

This is carried out through the use of field-based testing and monitoring for fibre levels during controlled works. This allows our team to confirm the required control limits and fully assess the risks to site-based personnel and the surrounding environment. It also forms the legal basis for whatever methodology is put into place to make your site fully safe.

Asbestos in soils work methodology and supervision

Through our past experience on projects we can help you to implement a safe working methodology.

We can specify and help implement the required controls, testing, training and actions on-site to ensure you are in line with the regulations and keeping everyone on-site safe. This can range from ensuring the safety of earth works to correct capping of contamination to the removal of the material off-site.

We offer full site supervision for asbestos in soils ensuring your site safety and risks.

Our team can assess the most cost effective options available.

Full remediation for asbestos in soils

We can fully remediate your site from start to finish if required. We can also assist with tender documentation and process to ensure all aspects of the required projects are fully completed to the current guidance.

Asbestos in soils site validation

Once all asbestos in soils works are completed we carry out a site validation. This helps to ensure all works undertaken are up to current standards and have been fully completed as per the specification and methodology set out at the planning phase.

This process is often required by planning departments or where sites are being sold on. We provide a full report with all asbestos in soils information included.

Helping with asbestos in soils

If you have any queries or need any assistance with asbestos in soils please call us or email info@asbestosaudit.co for free impartial advice.

Find out about the different asbestos survey types here