Testing for asbestos in soils

Testing for Asbestos in soils

Asbestos is now well known to be a hazardous material, but before this became known it was widely used as construction material within walls, boilers, pipe lagging and many other products prior to the year 2000. It is common to find asbestos in properties constructed before legislation came into effect, but asbestos can also be found in soil. This may be due to asbestos not being removed prior to a building being demolished, contaminated materials could have come into contact with the soil, or waste containing asbestos may have been buried and contaminated the soil over time. Asbestos in soil is particularly concerning if any construction or land development work is taking place and testing for asbestos in soils should always be completed by professionals.

Asbestos in soil affects an estimated 85% of Brownfield sites in the UK, which if not handled correctly can cause significant delays and expenses in construction or development projects. Asbestos is only harmful if the fibres are released into the air and are breathed in, so it’s important that if soil is suspected to contain asbestos that it is assessed and tested in a safe manner. The Mick George Group are a qualified in all aspects of managing, handling and disposing of Asbestos related materials, providing a full start to finish service, including asbestos testing and surveys through to treatment and disposal. We can provide on or off-site asbestos treatment solutions, meaning that we can find a treatment solution that works for you and your project, to cause minimal disruption and ensure that work can go ahead safely. It is the law that action should be taken to protect workers and the general public from exposure to asbestos caused by work activity. This means that if any Brownfield work is planned or is being carried out where asbestos is suspected, the soil must be tested for asbestos to guarantee the safety of everyone involved.

Testing for asbestos in soil is vital, as the extent of asbestos contamination can vary dramatically. It is important to have the soil professionally tested, as experts can then advise the correct course of action. If the amount of asbestos found is negligible then little or no action may be necessary, but if larger amounts are found then treatment and removable may be advised. The asbestos found could be in large pieces or in microscopic fragments, so it is important not to assume that the extent of the asbestos contamination can be seen and testing is always advised to mitigate risk. We can offer knowledge and expertise to provide you with rapid testing and cost-effective solutions to ensure that any asbestos in soil is safely and quickly handled with minimal impact on your project.

If you are involved in construction or land development and have concerns about asbestos in soils, The Mick George Group can cover every aspect to keep your site safe and working as it should. We are fully licensed in asbestos management and will always offer the best course of action, whether that is on-site treatment or asbestos collection and disposal at our licensed disposal site.