Greater Shepparton City Council has opened a new asbestos disposal point at Cosgrove Landfill, designed to safely dispose of small amounts of packaged, non-friable asbestos waste.
Householders, tradespeople and licensed asbestos removalists must complete a booking to access the service through an online form via the council website.
The asbestos disposal point will be open from 8am to 3pm on weekdays and 9am to 11am on Saturdays.
Once a popular building material in Australia, asbestos waste dumped in public spaces or kerbside bins has the power to harm businesses and the Greater Shepparton community.
The disposal point at Cosgrove Landfill has been specifically designed to temporarily store asbestos safely before transporting it to the landfill cell for final disposal.
Council director of infrastructure Gary Randhawa said it was essential Greater Shepparton had a facility to dispose of asbestos materials safely.
“It’s important for Greater Shepparton that we have a conveniently located facility for the safe disposal of materials containing asbestos. This facility will help support the gradual and safe removal of this legacy waste from our buildings,” he said.
He also said there was a great need for the new disposal point, as people currently travelled for over an hour to dispose of asbestos.
“Currently, residents, tradespeople, and licensed asbestos removalists in Greater Shepparton who want to dispose of asbestos are driving to landfills over an hour away. That’s why we’re piloting a new solution with Sustainability Victoria to provide a local and safe option for the disposal of asbestos,” Mr Randhawa said.
Cosgrove Landfill is a council-owned and operated site licensed by Environment Protection Authority Victoria to receive asbestos.
EPA Victoria, WorkSafe Victoria and technical specialists have helped establish the asbestos disposal site.
This has involved providing guidance and developing procedures to assist the site in safely managing asbestos waste and ensuring compliance with relevant legislation and regulations.
Only small quantities (under 10 square metres or less than 100kg) of non-friable (bonded) asbestos waste that’s been correctly packaged will be accepted at the disposal point. This includes materials such as cement sheeting, also known as AC sheeting or fibro.
Once delivered, the asbestos waste is stored in a secure area equipped with a covered bin to keep site workers and customers safe. When the bin reaches storage limits, the waste will be transported to the landfill cell for safe disposal.
Mr Randhawa said the safe removal of asbestos was equally important as the disposal.
“With asbestos present in roughly one-third of Australian homes, the safe removal of asbestos from a building is just as important as safe disposal,” he said.
“It’s important to remember that any building constructed before 1990 will likely contain asbestos. So, before even starting any home or yard renovation projects, check for asbestos.
“If you find asbestos, it is strongly recommended that you engage a licensed asbestos removalist to help keep yourself and your community safe.”
To find out more about identifying and removing asbestos safely, visit asbestos.vic.gov.au
To make a booking to use the Asbestos Disposal Point and for more information on disposal fees and how to package, transport and dispose of asbestos safely, call Greater Shepparton Customer Service Centre on 5832 9700 or visit shepp.city/asbestos