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WE ARE OPEN

FOR BUSINESS

Coronavirus Safety Aware
NO physical contact with our drivers during visits
ALL communications and paperwork sent via telephone or email
NO paperwork to be signed
ALL staff are strictly following our Coronavirus Safety Policy

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Disposing of asbestos

Stevenage Skip Hire and asbestos

Stevenage Skip Hire are a professional waste management company based in the Stevenage area of Hertfordshire. At Stevenage Skip Hire 95% of waste is recycled, and we are committed to disposing of your waste in an environmentally-friendly way. At least 95% of waste is recycled. At our recycling centre in Stevenage, we segregate all waste before processing it.

However, when it comes to asbestos, Stevenage Skip Hire are not in a position to remove the deadly material. Having said that, because we are experts in the waste management industry, we are able to offer sound advice and contact the relevant waste management partners who will be able to remove any asbestos that is discovered on or around your property.

What is asbestos?

Asbestos is a general name given to several naturally occurring fibrous minerals that have crystallised to form fibres. Asbestos fibres do not dissolve in water or evaporate, they are resistant to heat, fire, chemical and biological degradation and are mechanically very strong.

Asbestos is generally divided into two sub-groups; serpentine and amphiboles. Serpentine asbestos, which is chrysotile or white asbestos, was the most commonly used type of asbestos.

Chrysotile asbestos fibres are soft, flexible and curved and far less hazardous than the amphibole type. Amphibole fibres, also referred to as Crocidolite, which is blue asbestos, Amosite, is brown asbestos, and these give rise to Tremolite, Actinolite and Anthophyllite, which are brittle fibres and are often needle-like in appearance. It is this form that is more hazardous to health. Crocidolite was the most commonly used amphibole asbestos in the past.

Some facts about asbestos

Asbestos is a general name given to several naturally occurring minerals that have crystallised to form fibres
Asbestos fibres are strong, heat and chemical resistant and do not dissolve in water or evaporate
Before asbestos was banned, asbestos was used in many products including insulation material for buildings, boilers and pipes; car brakes and floor tiles
The importation, supply and use of all asbestos has been banned in the United Kingdom since 1999; the amphibole type has been banned since 1985
Amphibole, also called blue and brown asbestos is far more hazardous than the serpentine, known as white asbestos
Contrary to popular belief, asbestos is not considered harmful when in large pieces and undamaged
When it is damaged, asbestos can release smaller fibres that can be breathed in or swallowed
Breathing in asbestos fibres can lead to a condition called asbestosis that leads to an increased susceptibility to cancer
Asbestos has been classified as being carcinogenic, which means cancer causing, to humans

Stevenage Skip Hire are always happy to offer useful advice, should you be concerned that you may have asbestos on your property.

What was asbestos used for?

The properties of asbestos made it the perfect material for use in a number of products, including insulation material for buildings, boilers and pipes; car brakes and floor tiles, insulating board to protect buildings and ships against fire; asbestos cement for roofing sheets and pipes. In its heyday, asbestos was considered to be a miracle product and many manufacturers sought to utilise it in their products. Asbestos was even introduced into some cigarette filters, creating a double risk of cancer.

Many people of a certain age will recall the cement like insert in the top of the domestic ironing board. Virtually every house had one back in the day and this was asbestos cement. The asbestos enabled the user to place a hot iron on the surface, without the concern of the material catching fire. At the end of the serviceable life of the ironing board, many people removed this asbestos cement sheet to use as a fire mat when soldering. This meant that many a plumbers' tool bag contained one of these sheets that would be knocked and chipped after coming into contact with the other tools that were kept in the bag or box. Fortunately, DIY stores now stock safe soldering mats for the plumber and DIY enthusiast to use.

Many older houses also had water tanks in the loft space that contained asbestos and even though these are rarely still in use, they were often left in situ in the loft space of many of these houses, even though they were no longer in use.

Due to the risks to health following inhalation exposure to asbestos the importation of blue and brown asbestos has been banned in the UK since 1985. This ban was extended to include white asbestos in 1999.

Disposal of asbestos

Disposing of asbestos is no job for the amateur, it needs addressing by the properly trained and licensed waste management professionals. Ask us at Stevenage Skip Hire if you are unsure of who to contact regarding asbestos removal work.

Moving asbestos once found

Asbestos is rightly classed as a hazardous waste and must be double-bagged except where waste will not fit into a bag when it must be securely wrapped. Bagged or wrapped waste must be stored within secure, lockable containers.

Above all, further disturbance of the removed asbestos must be avoided. Asbestos needs to be transported to licensed landfill sites, so the risk of it being disturbed is thoroughly controlled.

Specialist asbestos skips

Once the asbestos has been removed from where it was found and double bagged by a professional in line with the approved codes of practice, it is then sealed in a lockable skip to be directly transported and disposed of at a licensed landfill site. Stevenage Skip Hire does not currently have the ability to transport asbestos containing materials, and this must be done by the appropriately licensed waste management companies.

These specialist skips are available in a range of sizes depending on the amount of asbestos found. Asbestos skips will ensure asbestos-contaminated waste is stored safely and securely before it is disposed of at landfill.

Asbestos transfer station

For a smaller volume of asbestos waste, hiring the expertise of a professional asbestos disposal company with a licensed transfer station may be better. This approach is very similar to the process you would go through when ordering a skip from Stevenage Skip Hire. The asbestos waste must firstly be removed according to the relevant codes of practice and double bagged or wrapped. However, for transportation to transfer stations, the waste will then be placed in a separate compartment, such as a specialist van.

Once the vehicle has arrived at the transfer station, the waste is then transferred from the van's sealed area or container into a locked skip at a licensed site.

Disposing of the asbestos

It is vital that you engage the services of a properly licensed asbestos disposal company, as they will ensure all asbestos waste is disposed of safely and using the correct methods. A man with a van is not only putting himself and you at risk, the deadly waste is also more likely to be fly-tipped down a country lane where it will pose a massive health risk to the wider community. Like all good waste management companies, Stevenage Skip Hire are passionate about keeping hazardous waste out of the environment, recycling regular waste and operating a responsible waste management policy.

When choosing a company to move the waste for you, you must make sure that they are a registered waste carrier and check that they are transporting the waste to a site with a waste management licence or permit which proves they are fully authorised to receive it. Remember that dumping asbestos waste illegally will lead to a hefty fine or possible prison sentence.

Can asbestos be destroyed?

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral and until recently, it was believed that specialist land fill was the only way to dispose of the hazardous material. However, some experts in the waste management field have been searching for a more ecologically sound waste management solution. To date, there have been several projects that have found ways of successfully destroying all traces of hazardous waste by completely destroying the asbestos found in building materials.

One such method uses physical and chemical processes to destroy current and future asbestos liability, while another method uses a reactor system to destroy the hazardous fibre. These two methods are yet to demonstrate a negative impact on the environment or human health, so this is certainly welcome news.

Unfortunately, as these methods are not yet used in the United Kingdom, burying asbestos waste in landfill is currently the only legal route available.

Asbestos and the environment

Asbestos is known to be widespread in the environment. It may enter the atmosphere due to the natural weathering of asbestos-containing ores or damage and breakdown of asbestos-containing products including insulation, car brakes and clutches, ceiling and floor tiles and cement.

Although a long way from the Stevenage Skip Hire depot, the danger and effects from asbestos is still being felt following the World Trade Centre collapse in New York City.

The collapse of the twin towers on Sept. 11, 2001, released a massive plume of dust containing approximately four hundred tons of asbestos and other hazardous materials that had become airborne owing to the catastrophic building collapse.

An estimated 410,000 to 525,000 people, including more than 90,000 workers, were exposed to the asbestos laden toxic dust during the rescue, recovery and cleanup efforts that followed the incident.

Many people remain confused as to why such a deadly material was present in the first place and why asbestos was in the World Trade Centre in the first place.

The answer to this is simple! During construction of the World Trade Centre in the late 1960s and early 1970s, developers commonly used asbestos in construction materials to make them stronger and heat resistant. You have to remember that the health risks of asbestos were not fully understood at that time.

The developers of the buildings made extensive use of spray-on asbestos as a fireproofing material and this was applied to steel beams along the first forty or so floors of the north tower. However, during the construction, the builders stopped using asbestos because they were told that stricter regulations on the deadly mineral were expected to be introduced by the legislature in the very near future.

Exposure to asbestos

People often come into contact with asbestos from existing asbestos-containing materials that happen to be present in buildings and products. If they are in good condition, they pose very little risk. However, if asbestos containing products are damaged in some way, thus exposing the bare asbestos within, fibres may be released. Great care should be taken when doing DIY work in older buildings, as they may contain asbestos.

In the commercial sector, asbestos management is big business, with designated people appointed to manage the risks, but in the domestic setting, no such management is evident.

People who are exposed to asbestos may also swallow small amounts of the fibres if the asbestos enters the soil or drinking water. Although asbestos does not dissolve, fibres may enter water after being eroded from natural sources, from asbestos-cement or from asbestos-containing filters. Although there is no evidence that the ingestion of asbestos fibres is hazardous to health at present, it should be avoided at all costs.

Workers who are involved in demolition work, asbestos abatement, building repair and maintenance may be exposed to higher levels of asbestos as disturbing such materials releases fibres into the air, and the inhalation of asbestos is the main cause for concern with this carcinogenic material.

Asbestos remains airborne for a long time

We already know that asbestos is incredibly dangerous for the human respiratory system, and it is causing the deaths of many people every year. Simply because it has been banned for quite some time in the United Kingdom, it is still a major threat to the health and wellbeing of people who come into contact with it.

Usually, asbestos fibres are able to remain floating around in the air for an estimated 48 to 72 hours. Most other dusts and contaminants settle long before this, making asbestos fibres particularly deadly.

If there is no airflow where the disturbed asbestos is present, it can settle within about two days.

Disturbed asbestos can remain in the air for more than three days. Although in areas with air circulation, it can remain airborne for longer than three days.

The length of time asbestos can remain airborne makes it very easy for people to inhale the fibres, putting them at serious risk.

If you are exposed to asbestos

Intact asbestos materials in a place where they are unlikely to be disturbed should not cause any harm. If you come into contact with asbestos fibres, you should move away from the source of exposure as soon as possible. If you have got asbestos fibres on your skin and clothes do not shake or brush the fibres off as this will cause them to become airborne and more likely to be inhaled. Whilst keeping away from soft furnishings and other people if at all possible, remove all visible dust and fibres from the body, clothing and footwear by wet wiping with a damp cloth using a very gentle patting action. Remove any contaminated clothing and place in a thick plastic bag with the damp cloth. Double bagging is a sound idea and if certain clothing needs to be removed over the head, it would be better to cut them off with a pair of scissors in order to avoid having to allow the contaminated garments to brush over your face and airways. It is vital to then make contact with your local authority for advice on disposal of the clothing and the source of the contamination.

How exposure to asbestos could affect your health

The presence of asbestos in the environment does not always lead to exposure as you must come into contact with the fibres. You may be exposed by breathing, eating, or drinking the substance or by skin contact. Following exposure to any hazardous chemical, the adverse health effects that you may encounter depend on several factors, including the amount to which you are exposed, the duration of exposure, the way you are exposed, the form of asbestos and if you were exposed to any other chemicals.

All forms of asbestos fibres are hazardous as they can induce cancer following inhalation exposure, but amphibole forms of asbestos, the blue and brown varieties, are more hazardous to health than chrysotile, which is white asbestos.

Breathing in high concentrations of asbestos for a long period of time mainly affects the lungs, causing a disease called asbestosis where breathing becomes difficult and the heart enlarges. Asbestosis may take decades to develop. Asbestosis sufferers are at an increased risk of cancer. Exposure to lower concentrations of asbestos over time may result in a general thickening of the lung lining.

Warts and corns may form around asbestos fibres that become embedded in the skin. The World Health Organisation has stated that there is no consistent evidence that ingested asbestos is hazardous to health.

Cancer risks associated with asbestos

The International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified all forms of asbestos as being carcinogenic to humans. Asbestos causes mesothelioma, a type of cancer that forms on the protective tissue that covers the lungs or the abdomen and cancer of the lung, larynx and ovary.

As previously stated, Stevenage Skip Hire are not licensed to remove asbestos, but we can certainly point you in the right direction for help. We can also offer safety advice regarding asbestos too.

If you are concerned about the possibilities of asbestos in or around your property, please contact your local environmental health department at the council. They will be able to help you with a wealth of information to help keep you and your family safe.

RAAC in schools

RAAC, the abbreviated name for Reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete is a lightweight, bubbly form of concrete that is usually found in roofs and occasionally in walls and floors. The news has been buzzing recently with information about RAAC in schools. Here we will look at what all the fuss is about and what happens to it at the end of its intended serviceable life.

Hoarding costs you money

Many hoarding behaviours can be put down to past experiences the individual has gone through. This may be periods of abject poverty, that makes them feel the need to hoard items just in case they could be used to good effect at a later stage. It is now thought that hoarding can adversely affect your finances. This may sound like a strange statement to make, but a bad financial situation is something we all want to avoid.

Time to have a good clearout

We've all been there. Our house has become a little cluttered and we feel the need to have a good tidy up. Many refer to it as a spring clean, but any time of year is a good time to de-clutter our living space. Having a good tidy up not only clears your house, it will help to clear your mind too. Research has shown that living in a cluttered environment can even have adverse effects on a person's sleep.

Fly tipping: what's the problem in Stevenage?

Illegal dumping is the proper name for fly tipping and it is typically distinguished from littering because of the type and amount of material left and the way in which it is disposed of. Fly tipping has always been a problem in Stevenage and indeed all over Hertfordshire.

The waste consequences of Covid

In an age where we are constantly looking for ways to cut down on our waste, it seems strange that so much extra waste has been created by the covid pandemic. The vast majority of this is made from plastic, so surely it could be recycled, but when one considers what it has been used for, it renders it potentially hazardous waste.

New Bill designed to ban export of plastic waste

When we throw away our waste materials, few of us know or possibly even wonder where this waste will end up. Many often believe that if it goes into the recycling bin, it will be recycled and therefore they will be doing their bit for the good of the environment. Unfortunately, a good deal of plastic waste often ends up in developing countries.

The problems with waste disposal in Stevenage

How many times have we looked at all the waste materials we have accumulated and despaired at the arduous prospect of sorting it into various types of waste to dispose of at the local tip? This once simple task has now become a major headache for many as the restrictions on what we can dispose of in landfill has increased so much in recent times.

Plastic pollution around the globe

Plastic pollution is now one of the biggest environmental concerns we have to face. You may feel that large amounts of plastic waste are unavoidable in the world we live in, but you and your family can help with the plastic pollution issue by being aware of its dangers and taking the necessary steps to reduce your plastic waste.

Carbon emissions and the environment

An awful lot has been said over the years about the damage we are doing to our environment with the carbon emissions and waste we produce. Some dispute the possibility that we are damaging our planet beyond repair, while others state quite clearly that we have very little time to change our ways and that time is running out.

How the five R's can dramatically improve our environment in Stevenage?

We have all heard of recycling our waste materials and for many years, some councils have provided special recycling bins to help residents avoid putting too much waste into landfill. But recycling is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to helping keep our environment healthy in Stevenage.

Recycle or incinerate! What is the best solution for our waste materials in Stevenage?

We are constantly being encouraged to recycle our waste materials and not putting them into landfill. However, there appears to be an emerging trend for incineration of waste in many areas, but is this a good or bad step?

Single use plastic products in Stevenage

Here at Stevenage Skip Hire we always recycle as much of your waste as possible, however, there is always more that can be done to improve the environment that we all need to survive.

A guide to what can and cannot go into a hired skip

At Stevenage Skip Hire we are frequently asked what waste materials can be placed into the hired skips we supply. So we thought it would be a good idea to offer a quick guide as to what is and is not acceptable.

Recycling your waste materials in Stevenage

Recycling is something most of us do now to some degree. Some do it more than others, but we mostly appreciate that it is an important part of our daily lives. It is more important to recycle waste in order to conserve resources and maintain a healthy environment than ever before. The question is, are we really doing everything possible when it comes to recycling our waste materials? The achances are that many of us are probably not doing all we can. So here are a few tips to help you recycle properly.

The problem with plastic pollution in Hertfordshire

Waste reduction in Hertfordshire

The country is now committed to reducing the amount of waste and the government have set targets for waste reduction. A new plan for cutting waste was published back in 2007 that aimed for at least 40 per cent of household waste to be recycled or composted by 2010, this rose to 50 per cent by 2020.

Plastic waste from the United Kingdom may be sent overseas instead of recycled

Massive amounts of packaging waste is being sent overseas to be recycled and turned into new products. However, concerns have been raised that in reality a good deal of it is being dumped in landfill sites in countries that we have no agreement with.

Just how recyclable is the plastic we use in Stevenage Skip Hire

We all know that plastic is recyclable, so as long as we put it in the correct bin it will be made into something else useful. Sadly this is a myth that all too many people believe, the painful truth is quite the opposite. We have all seen the triangular set of chasing arrows logo on plastic products and seem to automatically assume that it denotes that the product is recyclable.

What happens to all the plastic we throw out

Just where would we be without plastic? The production of plastic has exploded over the last fifty or so years, growing from 16.5 million tons in 1964 to 343 million tons in 2014; it is expected to double by 2036. The question is, where does all of this plastic go when people in Hertfordshire throw it away?

Fly tipping: A modern day curse

Fly tipping is simply another term used to describe illegal dumping of all manner of waste material, it is also called fly dumping. Whatever term is used, it is the dumping of waste illegally instead of using an authorised method such as kerbside collection or using an authorised rubbish dump. It is the illegal deposit of any waste onto land, including waste dumped or tipped on a site with no licence to accept waste.

Recycled plastic for roads and pavements

Plastic use in road and pavement construction is not exactly a new concept, but it does appear to be increasing. Using plastic waste to make plastic roads is definitely on the upward trend. Plastic roads mainly use plastic carrier bags, disposable cups and PET bottles that are collected from landfill sites prior to burial and are a vital part of this construction material.

Seaweed sachets offer an alternative to plastic

Indonesia has a wealth of naturally growing seaweed that can make an edible, water permeable film that can be used in sachets that hold tea, coffee, and hot cocoa as well as a whole host of other useful daily consumable products.

The increasing problem of plastics in our oceans

The amount of plastic in the oceans of the world is predicted to treble in the next ten years unless affirmative action is taken to deal with the problem, according to a new report just published.

Plastic pollution in the ocean starts from the rivers

A scary statistic is that more than eight million tons of waste plastic ends up in the ocean every single year. If we continue to pollute our oceans at this rate, there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean by 2050 and it can take many years to break down if at all, not to mention the toxins it leaches in the process.

Ways to reduce your plastic waste

Plastic is a great product in so many ways, but the environmental impact it can have is enormous, particularly when it comes to the single use plastic products we seem to uses on a daily basis in our throw away society. Can we as private individuals do to cut down our personal plastic usage?

Plastic microbeads are a load of rubbish

Would you like to fill your mouth with plastic, or cover other parts of your anatomy with it on a regular basis? The answer would most likely be a resounding no, but we are already doing just that.

Waste plastic from the UK is polluting the globe

Literally thousands of tons of plastic scrap collected for recycling from British households have been transported and dumped on sites across the world. This shocking revelation was revealed from a recent freedom of information request.

Hiring a skip from Stevenage Skip Hire rather than using the local dump

Have you got a load of rubbish to dump? Is it better to hire a skip or use the local dump? Do you need a permit for having a skip? Can anyone apply for a permit? Here are a few answers which could help you when hiring a skip from Stevenage Skip Hire

Hire a skip from Stevenage Skip Hire for your garden waste

No matter what the season, a medium sized Hertfordshire garden can generate a massive amount of waste materials. The winter will leave a lot of dead leaves and twiggs from nearby trees to clear up, and when the warmer months hit, the waste is generated on a weekly basis as things grow rapidly.

Get a skip and avoid fly tipping in Hertfordshire

Not only does fly tipping blight the Hertfordshire countryside around us, it can have a devastating effect on the wildlife that we co-exist with. Then of course there is the eye watering cost of clearing up the mess that inconsiderate people have created. We all pay the price for this ecologically unsound practice through increased council tax bills from our councils. This could all be avoided if everyone disposed of their waste in the correct manner and hiring a skip is probably the best way to go about this, particularly if you have a large amount of waste to dispose of.

Some facts about waste and recycling from Stevenage Skip Hire

The United Kingdom produces over 100 million tonnes of waste every single year. If you consider that one tonne is about the weight of a small car, it is easy to see how it mounts up. In less than two hours, the waste we produce would fill the Albert Hall.

Hire a skip instead of going to your local Hertfordshire tip

Using a local Hertfordshire tip is not the same as it was a few years ago. These days everything has to go in the correct hopper, it cannot all go in the same one any longer. This means you have to know what goes where in order to segregate all the rubbish at home.

Hire a skip from Stevenage Skip Hire for your soil and mud

A Hertfordshire client recently hired one of our skips as they just could not believe how much earth they had to get rid of when they dug out a pond in their back garden. Our client had intended to build up their flower beds and other low spots of their garden with the excavated earth. They never thought they would need to get rid of any earth at all.

Useful information about skip hire in Hertfordshire

The one question we get asked the most at Stevenage Skip Hire is what size skip the customer will need. We always suggest that you think about what you need to dispose of and remember that two skips can be far more expensive than one larger skip. Skips are measured by the yard and range from 3 yard mini skips to roll-on roll-off containers more suitable for higher volume waste requirements.

Hire a skip from Stevenage Skip Hire to save you time effort and money

Hiring a skip from Stevenage Skip Hire is without a doubt the best way to get rid of all your waste materials! It is convenient, quick, easy and saves you a huge amount of work. Generally speaking, we only get a couple of days a week away from work, and when you end up ferrying your household waste back and forth from the local tip, your weekend soon gets swallowed up.

The benefits of skip hire from Stevenage Skip Hire in Hertfordshire

Having a good clear out of the garden shed or garage produces way more rubbish than you ever imagined possible. Decorating preparation can also produce a good deal of waste, such as old skirting boards and stripped wood chip paper that his been up since the war, so a skip is a great way to dispose of the waste.

Further Information

If you would like to know more or are interested in a quote we would be happy to help. Phone us on 0203 780 2277, email us at info@stevenageskiphire.co.uk or fill in our enquiry form and we will be in touch as soon as possible.