Allotments 4 All

Mmmmm, not strictly a gardening issue but someone may be able to help?

The plot I am digging belongs to my Father-in-law who hasn't been well enough to tend it. There used to be an old chicken run there years ago and some of the old corrugated asbestos roof panels have been in the hedgerow for years.

I was busy digging on Sunday afternoon when a lady who lives up the road appeared and demanded to know what I was going to do about the asbestos as it is very dangerous and her grand-children sometimes play in the lane. I tried to remain polite as I told her that as long as they stayed away from it, didn't burn it, saw it or generally have anything to do with it, then it should not cause them any harm. I also pointed out that they shouldn't be anywhere near the garden anyway. She then proceeded to tell me that I could be fined for it being there and marched off.

Now I am quite concerned that there may be something to worry about, either legally or from a safety viewpoint. I have put a photo in to show you what I mean, but it just an industrial panel like many farm buildings are made of. Has anyone got any advice on the legal aspects as well as the safety ones? Any ideas on how to get rid of it?

Thank you,
TimJ

Tim as far as I know asbestos that is damaged must be removed as it poses a health risk. It looks like your panel is damaged. Perhaps if you speak to your local council they may be able to give you more accurate advice. If your allotment is council owned or if the panel is in a public place (i.e. not land owned by you or someone else) then the council must have it removed. You cannot simply take it to your local dump.

I am afraid that the land is actually owned by my Father-in-law Jesseveve  :( who has been ill for over 2 years. I will contact the council to see what they say!

Thanks,
TimJ

Hi TimJ, it seems like you do know your beans about the health hazard of asbestos and what you told the lady is correct but..............judging by regulations in Holland, she also had a valid remark about the fine. However, the fine usually comes after an official warning.

The problem is that as soon as you start enquiries about the removal of the stuff, some official is going to score points by getting on your case and you may find yourself in a time crunch. You better start planning in terms of help, time and possibly money for the removal and when everything is in place, then you should go to city hall with enquiries if the lady has not beaten you to it. Getting on friendly terms with her might prove to be important. Maybe you should share her concern, tell her you are working on it and that you'll keep it wet in the meantime.

At our lottie complex, asbestos was found holding the water of the canals back and reinforcing the lottie edges. There was a big hoodoo about it despite the fact it was in the water and does no immediate harm there. (The ball started rolling after one member allerted the officials about it without going to the lottie committee first but that's a whole other story)

A big container came, lined with double plastic sheeting, all the asbestos was dumped it it then it was wrapped up and carted away. Sound easy but it was a hell of a job replacing all the the water retainers on several lotties.

When I spoke with an aqaintance who worked at an Occupational Health Service about it, he was amazed that we were allowed to clean it up ourselves. Normally specialists have this job and that may increase the costs enormously. On the other hand, you may get help from your city counsil as this is an environmental issue. As soon as people start complaining, you better start planning. I wish you all the best.

Hi Tj,Ref your Asbestos problem, quick DIY helpfull hints, Ina had some advice, get yourself some thick Plastic gloves,dust mask,overalls ,and glasses,then slowly wrap the asbestos sheet in plastic , making shore that you dont brake the large section and that you place any and every small piece into the package, them try to cling film it, this my help you with the council if the lady complains to them before you can inform them your self,after wrapping the asbestos place the gloves overalls, dust mask into a plastic bag and wrap them with the asbestos sheet package (if you understand all this) hope you sort out your problems
later windy

Panic Over!!  ;D

I have just spoken to the Blaby Council Cleansing Officer and they will be collecting it next week for £35.00. I just have to leave it in a pile.
Apparently it poses absolutely no threat whatsoever unless you breathe in the dust made from cutting it etc with power tools or burn it!!
He said I could leave it where it is with no problems either legally or healthwise but I decided to do the right thing and keep the neighbours happy!

It will also be a safer environment for our kids during the summer months when hopefully the eldest will be able to join me  :)

Thanks for your advice!

Wait a minute! You would have been allowed to leave it where it was? That does not sound right.

Anyway when you put it on a pile, please wet it to keep the dust down. I was told that it's not how long or how much you are exposed to asbestos but that if you are very unlucky, one fiber in your lungs (it doesn't get broken down) can be enough of an irritant to cause problems in 20 to 30 years. Why take a chance right?

I'm so glad for you that things turned out well, thanks for letting us know.

Ina, I was told by the Cleansing Officer at Blaby District council that because it is cement bonded asbestos, as still exists in many agricultural and industrial buildings, it is considered to be safe if left alone. If you were to do anything to it that would cause dust that would be different.

Everything over here is soaking wet at the moment due to the winter weather, so it will be left in a pile in a very lonely dead end path until the council pick it up in a few days.

I have decided to take the responsible action and pay for it to be taken away rather than leave it where it is. After all it will be my family that are eating the food that is grown and frequenting the allotment etc. I must admit that I do not pretend to know the intricacies regarding the dangers etc but it will be very wet when they take it away due to the prevailing conditions etc.
Please don't worry, I will warn the householders who live in the lane what the situation is etc  :)
TimJ

Or break into little bits...hide it in news paper and put bit in wheelie bin each week! :o

Just kidding...........

Hi Tim,

When I took over my allottment I inherited lots of concrete bonded asbestos roof tiles. Smaller peices of a material like yours. These line a path along the edge of my plot and support a slight drop in soil levels.

Someone can correct me if I`m wrong or add more details - Something is happening about this at the moment, put into place by the EU about surveying and removal of asbestos The city council here are complying with this requirement. I noticed a poster when I was sorting out my allotment rent.

I asked that they visit my plot to take a look which they did.

I`m told there`s no need for concern and I can do what ever I like with it. So far I left it in the ground where it is damp and stable. But when I start strimming in earnest I`ll remove it because I don`t want to kick up dust by strimming against it.

A friend of mine has an asbestosis related condition and that keeps my mind on the topic, better safe than sorry.

Col

To think that when I was a kid we used to take chunks of asbestos laying around on a building site. It worked almost as well as chalk to draw pictures or lines for a hop-skip game on the sidewalk with.

Ina shoosh, you are showing your age :o I used to bite the heads off lead soldiers when I were a lad and I'm still here, silly billy they are worth a fortune now (with heads of cause). :D

If I dropped food on the floor I picked it up and rubbed it down and ate it and I'm still here. :D
•   I had to get up in the morning at ten o'clock at night, half an hour before I went to bed, eat a lump of cold poison, work twenty-nine hours a day down mill, and pay mill owner for permission to come to work, and when we got home, our Dad would kill us, and dance about on our graves singing "Hallelujah."
But you try and tell the young people today that... and they won't believe ya'.

Sorry I just couldn’t resist that one, don’t you just love Monty Python? 8)

And you were lucky, weren't you Roy

Hahahah Roy, I might be showing my age but what are you showing?.....Biting off sodiers heads? Mmmmmmmmmmm, wonder what psychologists will say about that huh?

What makes you think you were not affected by the lead Roy? You may have become a second Einstein had you not ingested the lead hehehe.

My point being, like most toddlers we put all and everything in our mouths, as our parents used to say "a bit of dirt never hurt anyone" and food was never wasted then.

Don't ever recall playing with asbestos though. :o

I've recently been in contact with our council about just this problem. The real nasty is the sort of asbestos that was used for insulation. It's more like the loose fibre that you may have in your loft. That needs specialist handling as the fibres fly around as soon as you touch it. Concrete bonded asbestos is a separate issue as it's reasonably safe unless you cut it. It can be handled and disposed of by anyone. The deal here in Nottingham is that you must wrap it in polythene and you can then take it to a nominated disposal centre in the back of your car, although due to the quantity the council have agreed to do this for us for nothing. There is no charge if you take it away yourself.

When my brother and I were really bored as little kids, Dad would let us have a bit of mercury and we would push it around on a shiny tray - great fun!!

Sarah.

Well, they didn't know any better then did they? Same for asbestos.