With more people at home over the past months due to COVID restrictions, undertaking renovations may be at the forefront of the minds of Latrobe City residents.
But before you start pulling your home apart, have you considered the likelihood of there being asbestos in your home?
Asbestos is a fibrous building material that was used in many homes built before 1990 – especially in the eaves, ceilings, internal and external wall cladding, as well as under tiling and lino. Old sheds and fences may also contain asbestos. Breathing asbestos fibres can cause a range of life-threatening diseases including mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis.
While Latrobe City Council would always advise home renovators to contact an asbestos professional before starting any work on your home, the ‘Asbestos in the Home Removal Kit’ is also available from Council for homeowners to undertake smaller asbestos removal tasks.
“The Asbestos Council of Victoria/GARDS began developing the kit with Latrobe City and others in 2003, and Latrobe City has been providing this resource to our community for the past 13 years,” Latrobe City Council Chief Executive Officer Steven Piasente said.
“The kit contains all the necessary personal protective equipment you need to remove up to 10 square metres of asbestos.
“The kit allows residents to carry out small domestic asbestos removal tasks in a safer manner, and each kit is accompanied by a free awareness and information session, along with a disposal voucher for the Hyland Highway landfill.”
For an interactive tool to help identify asbestos in your home, visit asbestos.vic.gov.au
To find a current list of licensed removalists, go to worksafe.vic.gov.au
