Public health

If left untouched, asbestos poses no immediate danger.

Asbestos products that are mishandled, broken or disturbed through activities such as pressure cleaning, cutting or sanding and the use of power tools can release hazardous fibres.

Inhaled asbestos fibres can lodge in the airways, lungs or stomach and increase the chances of developing asbestosis, (scarring of lung tissue) mesothelioma or lung cancer. The risk of contracting these diseases increases with the number of fibres inhaled and the length of time you inhale them.

However, you should always take extreme care when dealing with any asbestos product.

Better safe than sorry.

Don't endanger yourself, your family or your neighbours by trying to remove or demolish asbestos yourself. Do not disturb it. Further information for homeowners is available using the following links:

Worksafe - Asbestos removal and licensing

Asbestos awareness

Asbestos fibres are 50-200 times thinner than a human hair, can float in the air for a long time, can be invisible to the naked eye and can be breathed into the lungs.

Therefore it is difficult to identify asbestos by sight, but as a rule, if your house was built:

• before the mid-1980s it is more than likely to contain asbestos materials
• between the mid-1980s and 1990 it is likely to contain asbestos materials
• after the 1990s it is highly unlikely to contain asbestos materials.

The use of ACMs in the home has been extensive and there are many areas in the home where ACMs can be found including (but not limited to):

• roof sheeting and capping
• guttering
• gables, eaves/soffits water pipes and flues
• wall sheeting (flat or a weatherboard style)
• vinyl sheet flooring
• carpet and tile underlays
• imitation brick cladding
• carports and sheds
• some window putty
• expansion joints
• packing under beams
• concrete formwork

Find more information on common locations of asbestos containing materials in homes on the Queensland Government Asbestos site. 

You can find information on arranging testing of samples on the Queensland Government Asbestos site.

If you believe a business, contractor or an occupant at a commercial premises is unsafely handling, removing or transporting asbestos materials, phone the Workplace Health and Safety Queensland on 13 QGOV (13 74 68).

If you believe a homeowner, occupant or owner-builder is unsafely handling, removing or transporting asbestos material or a person has illegally dumped asbestos waste, contact Bundaberg Regional Council on 1300 883 699.

Transport and disposal of asbestos is regulated by the Department Environment and Science (DES). To find the detailed regulations surrounding transport and disposal of asbestos please visit the Queensland Government Asbestos site. 

Please note that the transport laws do not apply if you transport less than 175 kg of domestic asbestos (less than 10 square meters). You must, however, transport the asbestos safely by:

• Ensuring that your load is doubled bagged in heavy duty 0.2 mm polyethylene sheeting and
• Sealing the bagging so as to prevent any airborne particles and contaminated items from escaping.

Council does not apply any additional charges for the disposal of asbestos however residents are advised to contact Council's Waste and Recycling team on 1300 883 699 prior to the disposal of asbestos to inform about:

• Waste facilities authorised to accept asbestos. Read more here: Waste Facility Information Factsheet
• Times asbestos will be accepted
• Packaging requirements of asbestos and asbestos contaminated items

For more information about the handling and disposal of asbestos read Council's factsheet.

Guide to handling and disposing of household asbestos

For more information about the health risks, safe handling and disposal of asbestos including factsheets, guides, posters and videos visit the Queensland Government Asbestos site or phone 13 QGOV (13 74 68).

For more information head to the Asbestos Safety and Eradication Agency website. 

Don't endanger yourself, your family or your neighbours by trying to remove or demolish asbestos yourself.

If you are renovating your home and you suspect it has asbestos products, we strongly recommend that you contact a certified asbestos contractor. They are licensed to carry out any removal or disposal work safely.

If felt underlay is present under carpets, it is recommended that it is professionally removed and the work site cleaned of all dust in a manner that does not create airborne dust. Access to the site should be restricted to those involved in the work with the necessary safety equipment.

Asbestos removal contractors can also provide a specially lined bin for trades people to use during renovations. Once renovations are completed, the asbestos removal contractors will collect the bin and dispose of asbestos safely for you.

Acquire the services of a licensed asbestos contractor prior to works if you suspect an area has asbestos material. They are listed in the yellow pages and on the WorkSafe website. 

Homeowners may remove less than 10 square meters of non-friable (bonded) ACM however you should follow some important steps before commencing the job.

Guide to handling and disposing of household asbestos

• Check playground equipment. Tyre swings can hold water and are a favoured breeding site for mosquitoes. It is recommended to drill holes in the bottom of the tyre so water drains out.
• Check rainwater tanks. Unscreened tanks or damaged screens enable female mosquitoes to enter and lay eggs inside the tank.
• Plastic and tarps can hold water in the many small pockets of folded plastic. It is recommended to remove and store under cover or treat tarp with cockroach surface spray every three months.
• Check roof guttering on a regular basis to remove all accumulated debris, such as leaves.
• Rubbish items, buckets and containers. Any item that holds water for an extended period will provide a mosquito breeding site. Once a week empty, dry and clean any items capable of holding water , or store it under cover, or dispose of it, as appropriate. Pot plant bases should be filled with sand to prevent mosquito breeding.

Aedes aegypti has been found in Gin Gin and Childers. This mosquito can transmit Dengue Fever, but only if it bites a host currently suffering from the disease.

As this mosquito breeds predominately in domestic containers, breeding sites can be easily removed by following the steps above. 

• Applying insect repellent containing DEET or picaridin in accordance with manufacturer’s recommendations
• Wearing long, loose, light coloured clothing - especially if you are outside at dawn or dusk.
• Using insect surface spray, mosquito coils or plug-in insecticide devices indoors
• Repairing defective insect screens or fitting new screens, where possible
• Using bed nets when applicable
• Contact a licensed Pest Management Technician regarding barrier spraying of home and screens

Personal insect repellents containing DEET or picaridin are more effective than other repellents, depending on the concentration. Repellents containing picaridin or less than 10 per cent DEET are considered safe for children. However, the use of tropical repellents is not recommended for infants under three months of age.

If the pest is coming from your property make sure you reduce the risk by following the below tips.

If you believe your property is harbouring rats or mice, or you are still experiencing difficulty in reducing the pests on your property, phone Council on 1300 883 699.

An Officer may investigate the site and provide further specific advice.

To make sure rats and mice are not attracted to your garden:

• Cover compost heaps with garden lime and only compost the correct material
• Do not leave pet food out for longer than 20 minutes
• Keep chicken coops and bird aviaries clean
• Store pet food in vermin proof containers
• Don't feed wildlife or other native animals
• Pick up fallen nuts from your trees
• Keep the grass short and the yard tidy around your house
• Check retaining and rock walls are not harbouring rodents
• Trim trees away from rooflines to limit rodent access
• Allow natural predators to keep rodent numbers down

Inside the house rodents are drawn to food. Make sure you:

• Store food and leftovers in sealed containers
• Keep your cupboard doors closed
• Use weather strips on external doors to seal gaps
• Repair any breakages in wall linings and roof cavities immediately
• Place metal gauze over external building pipes to limit access to your home 

Once you have rodent proofed your property you can consider using poison baits and traps, which can be purchased from a hardware store, ensuring you undertake the following:

• Place the baits and traps in areas where rodents have been seen
• To bait a trap, use a piece of apple, a pumpkin seed or a piece of fat from some meat. Tie the bait on with a piece of wire to make it hard for the rodent to remove without setting off the trap
• Make sure you follow the safety instructions on the packet. Ensure baits and traps are kept out of reach of children or pets
• You can also purchase lockable stations and humane traps from some retail outlets. These traps are safer around children and pets than poison baits.