Don’t Play Renovation Roulette! – get to kNOw Asbestos this November
In the lead up to the summer holiday home renovation season the City of Kalamunda is warning home owners to be asbestos aware. Over the past two years more than 8,000 deaths from asbestos-related diseases were recorded including asbestosis and lung cancer with an alarming number of deaths from mesothelioma attributed to both occupational (tradies) and non-occupational (homeowners) exposure during residential renovations.
Now in its tenth year, Australia’s longest-running, multi-award winning Asbestos Awareness campaign continues our mission of reducing asbestos-related diseases by warning Australians of the dangers of asbestos and directing them to the leading, most comprehensive, trusted asbestos information source, asbestosawareness.com.au.
City of Kalamunda Mayor, Cr Margaret Thomas, cautioned those thinking about diving into a renovation project to be aware of how to safely manage asbestos in and around the home.
“If you suspect you have asbestos in your home – there are a lot of don’ts to remember - don’t cut, drill, drop, sand, saw, scrape, scrub, dismantle, tip, waterblast or demolish it,” Mayor Thomas said. “And most importantly – don’t dump it.”
Whether you’re a wannabe home renovator or an expert, visit asbestosawareness.com.au and take the 20 Point Safety Check and learn how to manage asbestos-containing materials in and around homes safely.
To protect residents, the City provides an asbestos sampling service at a subsidised rate of $75.00 with samples lab tested and results returned to the home owner prior to renovations starting. For details on how to collect an asbestos sample safely and the City’s deposit procedure please call 9257 9999 or visit kalamunda.wa.gov.au.
People would be surprised at where they might find the hidden danger of asbestos in a home built or renovated before 1987. It could be anywhere! Under floor coverings such as carpets, linoleum and vinyl tiles, behind wall and floor tiles, in cement floors, internal and external walls, ceilings and ceiling space (insulation), eaves, garages, roofs, around hot water pipes, fences, extensions to homes, garages, outdoor toilets, backyard and farm sheds, chook sheds and even dog kennels.
“By visiting asbestosawareness.com.au people will be able to easily search to identify the sorts of products to look for, the locations of where they might be found and learn how to manage it and dispose of it safely,”
There is no cure for mesothelioma, a cancer that can develop between 20-50 years after inhaling asbestos fibres and the average survival time after diagnosis is 10-12 months. Inhaling asbestos fibres can also cause diseases such as lung cancer, asbestosis and benign pleural disease.
Does your home contain asbestos? How would you know? Stop playing Renovation Roulette! Get to know Asbestos this November by visiting asbestosawareness.com.au and take the 20 Point Safety Check.
Learn to identify products that may contain asbestos in your home and property, where it might be found and learn how to manage it and dispose of it safely. It’s not worth the risk!
· Get to kNOw asbestos this November, visit asbestosawareness.com.au