In a corner of our garden, about the size of a tennis court, I’ve found that the previous owners have dumped a load of broken up white corrugated asbestos sheets, they have even had what looks like a fire on top of it all so there is a load of ash presumably mixed with asbestos, lots of small fragments

I understand that with this sort of asbestos the risk is relatively low, but as a parent with kids who like to play in the garden I’d like to do all I can to minimise the risk of course.

So, do I

a) rotovate it all and re turf and forget about it
b) take off the top 6 inches of soil, bring in new top soil re turf etc
c) pay someone thousands to do something about it
d) ?

You can remove it yourself if you are careful. Normally involves wearing suitable PPE, wetting it down and wrapping it up in plastic sheeting/bags and taking it to a council tip that takes Asbestos.

I’d rather get it dealt with than cover it up.

I’m no expert but I thought once it was broken up it was dangerous.

I think you should do something about it. Plus, once it’s broken up, you can’t take it to the tip.

I thought once it was broken up it was dangerous.

It’s the dry fibres that are dangerous.

once it’s broken up, you can’t take it to the tip.

Not true; or at least, not true for all tips. Mine took it happily, their only insistence was that it had to be double-bagged in the bags they provide.

Definitely worth getting some advice on if you can do it yourself and how to best protect yourself.

so instead of leaving it undisturbed and burying it at the bottom of the garden you want to disturb all the fibers , make them air bourne and remove “most” of it …..

instead of just turfing over and not creating airbourne fibres ?

now that its covered up underground under earth and under the turf exactly what risk is it posing to your kids ?

you know where asbestos comes from right ? – its not radioactive , nor explosive.

Our tip insists that it’s bagged, in one piece and they’ll only take one piece.

Next door were having building work done, so I bunged them £80 to tear down the bits of my garage that were still standing and bag it all for me. Then I took 18 bags of broken asbestos to the tip.

I’m impressed no-one has picked up on Nick’s Tennis court statement yet.

This isn’t his whole garden, just a corner of it, about the size of a tennis court. 😉

I fell through my asbestos garage roof recently while trying to bodge another year out of it. Took a piece for testing and it turned out to be concrete. £20 well spent!

Took it to the tip with the certificate 🙂

Samuri – their all still reeling from seeing WCA new motor!!

Your tip will probably want it double bagged. Don’t go near it without soaking it well beforehand. Ideally have a very fine mist/ spray whilst bagging. Maximum dust suppression is your friend here. P3 mask and paper suit, wear over wellies and rubber gloves & tape cuffs

Test first as Mugboo did and if it’s concrete you’re good to go. If it’s asbestos cement sheet then as tymbian says and remember the PPE is also contaminated waste so keep the mask on until you’ve washed your boots and gloves off and removed the tyvek coverall. Double bag the mask and overalls.

A lot of local authorities offer collection/disposal services which are cheaper than specialists.

You’ll need to double bag it and arrange a collection time but def worth a look!

Our council will take 40kg via a specialist contractor for free. You have to arrange a time and leave it double bagged for them….easy and it stops people chucking in the hardcore at the tip.

Thanks for the suggestions, it’s about 1/3 of the garden I suppose so not that big really.

There’s some decent sized bits that I can get up, it’s also fairly damp as it’s mostly in shade, it’s the 2p sized bits and smaller that are literally scattered far and wide, plus all the tiny bits I can’t see that are the issue.

I reckon pick up all the small bits I can see, rotovate, pick up any bits I can see, lay turf. All while wearing a funny white suit and wearing a mask.

Shropshire Council just say that a small amount (i.e. a garage room), double bagged and clearly marked as asbestos can be taken to the recycling place as long as you phone in advance.

Some useful advice in here from my work (http://www.hpa.org.uk/Topics/ChemicalsAndPoisons/CompendiumOfChemicalHazards/Asbestos/ )ignore the detailed toxicology and there’s general advice in there. Just be sensible, PPE and RPE can be had from ARCO etc. just tell them what you want it for. Generally Tyvek suit, hooded and gloves and disposable RPE to P3 standard.