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Asbestos

Find out what asbestos is, where you might find it in your Stonewater home, and what we are doing to manage it.

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What is asbestos?

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that was used in a range of building materials and is now banned from use.

In the 1960s and 1970s, asbestos was widely used in building materials and products because of its durability and heat-resistant qualities. Low levels of asbestos are commonly found in residential properties in: 

  • floor tiles
  • pipe insulation
  • textured coatings (e.g. artex)
  • some toilet cisterns
  • cement boards used for fire protection to communal shafts or ducts 

Although asbestos is a hazardous material, it is only dangerous if the fibres are disturbed and become airborne through activities such as drilling, sanding, cutting or if it’s broken up. It can also be dangerous if it’s in poor condition or damaged. 
 
Low level exposure to the fibres is unlikely to harm your health, and it is very unlikely that the levels of asbestos fibres found within your home will be harmful.

However, if you have damaged asbestos materials in your home, you should contact us immediately. 

How we manage asbestos?

We hold a register of all asbestos containing materials within our properties that details the location, type and condition of it. 
 
Each year we carry out risk assessments to make sure the material is safe. If we believe that the material has been damaged or its condition has changed and it poses a risk, we will take steps to remove it or make it safe so that it no longer poses a risk. 
 
When we are undertaking repairs or maintenance to homes or buildings, our contractors will review the register to identify any materials containing asbestos and will ensure that they can work safely and, if needed, they will remove the material. 
 
In certain circumstances they may also order additional asbestos surveys or sampling to ensure that they have identified all materials before starting work. This is called a refurbishment survey. 
 
You can find more information on asbestos on the Health and Safety Executive website.

Requesting details of asbestos in your home

Before starting any DIY or home renovation project, you should: 

Asbestos in your home

Important information about asbestos, which may be present in your home.

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Report a safety concern

If you’re worried about asbestos or have other building safety concerns, please contact us at buildingsafety@stonewater.org