Posted By Derrick Robinson We have a problem over the transport of some fibre cement asbestos sheets and if there are any experts on waste transport I would much appreciate some advice. We are a construction company and we have a division which supplies agricultural buildings. We have a building erected some 20+ years ago when fibre cement sheets containing asbestos were still available and the roof is constructed of these. The building is now leaking, it is suspected that the sheets are faulty and they were covered originally by a 30 year guarantee. The manufacturer is still in business (though obviously not using asbestos these days) so we have a potential claim. The proposal is to remove a small number of sheets from the building and replace them with a none a/c alternative, the removed sheets would then be brought back to our works for examination by the manufacturer. We hold a waste carrier registration but we are not authorised to hold or process hazardous waste at our premises. The sheets will eventually be removed from us by a licensed contractor to a registered site and if we do eventually have to strip the whole roof we will have a contractor remove the waste direct from site. My questions are: - Are these sheets waste at this stage or will they become waste after they have been examined? (they will not go back on to the roof regardless of the results of the examination). If they are waste am I allowed to transport them from site to our works under my existing carrier licence and am I allowed to store them here for a few weeks whist investigations take place? I think they are waste and we cant move them, but there is a substantial financial cost involved here and I need to be sure of my ground. Any help would be appreciated.

Posted By gerry d Once removed from its existing position it is deemed to be waste (hazardous). Therefore, it will be waste if you deal with it in the manner you have outlined. You cannot transport it either because you are not licensed to carry hazardous waste. Thirdly, although this is superfluous, you can`t keep it at your premises as you are not an approved waste transfer station. Hope this clarifies things for you.

Posted By Fred Pratley Can you leave them on the site in a secure place double bagged and properly labelled) and have the manufacturer come and inspect them? If not, I do not believe that the EA would have any issues with you moving them and holding onto them at your site pending inspection, provided you have a fixed date for it and it is a "one off". It is almost certain the EA will have been asked about this or something similar and it is worth talking to them.

Posted By Colin Reeves A simple question, why transport them to your site for examination? If they are asbestos, any examination would be better done by the manufacturer in situ. Then you can decide if they are to stay or be removed - in which case a licensed contractor to do the removal. Seems that your proposed double handling is creating a potential hazard that can be avoided by an on site visit. Colin

Posted By Derrick Robinson Thanks to you all for the advice. Plan has now been changed to keep the sheets on site pending direct removal by a licensed waste contractor. Thanks and Regards. derrick

Posted By andymak Working as I often do on the keep it seriously simple (KISS) principle why can't the sheets you remove be quarantined on site and the manufacturer check them over there. They then don't have to be moved around. If they do however have to leave site then I would say they are not waste until the research on them has been completed.