Our Constituent Councils

Asbestos Safety and Disposal – Important information for residents

NAWMA’s Resource Recovery Centres at Edinburgh North and Pooraka DO NOT accept asbestos waste.

Asbestos is a hazardous material that must be handled and disposed of appropriately due to serious health risks and regulatory requirements.

Health Risks of Asbestos

Asbestos is a group of naturally occurring fibrous minerals historically used in many building products. It can pose a serious health risk if fibres are inhaled.

  • Asbestos fibres become dangerous if materials containing them are broken, damaged, cut, sanded, or disturbed in any way — releasing fibres into the air.
  • Inhaling asbestos fibres can lead to severe lung conditions, including asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma, often many years after exposure.

If materials containing asbestos are intact and undisturbed, they may not pose an immediate health risk. However, any work involving removal or disturbance should be handled with extreme caution.

Identifying Asbestos

Older homes — especially those built before the mid 1980s — are highly likely to contain asbestos in many common places, for example:

  • Roofs, eaves and gutter linings
  • Fence and shed cladding
  • Outbuildings and garden structures
  • Wall and ceiling sheeting (“fibro”)
  • Vinyl floor tile backing
  • Wall and floor tile backing in bathrooms and laundries
  • Insulation materials and pipes

You cannot identify asbestos by sight alone — if you are unsure, consult a licensed asbestos removalist, or get a sample tested by a NATA accredited laboratory.

Legal Requirements for Removal

If the asbestos material is friable (crumbly, deteriorated, or likely to release fibres), removal should occur by a licensed asbestos removalist.

Even for non-friable asbestos (e.g. bonded sheeting), removal can pose risks and should only be undertaken by licensed professionals or by carefully following strict safe handling rules.

More information on requirements and permits can be found at the South Australian asbestos guidance website.

Safe Disposal of Asbestos in South Australia

Asbestos waste cannot be put in household bins, hard rubbish collections, or taken to most local Resource Recovery Centres or Waste Transfer Stations. It must be disposed of at licensed asbestos disposal facilities.

How to Dispose

  1. Wrap and label: Asbestos waste must be double-wrapped in thick (200-micron) plastic and clearly labelled as asbestos before transport.
  2. Contact facility: Call ahead to your chosen asbestos waste facility to confirm acceptance, opening hours, and disposal requirements.
  3. Transport carefully: Secure the wrapped waste in your vehicle in a way that prevents fibres escaping.

Important: Always check with a facility before you arrive — not all sites accept asbestos at every time, and separate policies may apply.

NAWMA’s Resource Recovery Centres at Edinburgh North and Pooraka DO NOT accept asbestos waste.

The unlawful disposal of asbestos at NAWMA Resource Recovery Centres is an offence and will be reported to the South Australian EPA, prosecution may apply.

You can search for asbestos disposal facilities that accept asbestos waste through the Asbestos Safety Agency’s disposal finder.

If you’re unsure about asbestos in your home or how to handle it safely visit Asbestos.sa.gov.au for identification, management and disposal support.