New Zealand Guidelines for the Management and Removal of Asbestos 3rd Edition
SECTION 11: STORAGE, LABELLING AND DISPOSAL OF ASBESTOS
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11.1 General
This section outlines the steps necessary for the employer to ensure, as far as is practicable, the prevention of contamination by asbestos from any workplace and to ensure that asbestos-contaminated materials are stored, labelled and disposed of correctly.
11.2 Labelling of Asbestos Materials (Not Asbestos Waste)
Materials containing asbestos and the packaging of such materials must be labelled in the manner set out below. Minimum dimensions and colours are indicated in the diagram:
Figure 23: International asbestos label
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Regulation 35 of the Health and Safety in Employment (Asbestos) Regulations 1998 states:
Every manufacturer and supplier of products containing asbestos must take all practicable steps to ensure that products manufactured or supplied on or after 1st April 1999 bear a label that is:
- in the form specified in Schedule 3; and
- affixed in a conspicuous place; and
- affixed firmly.
11.3 Storage and Disposal of Asbestos
The employer should take all practicable steps to ensure that asbestos waste products are not received into, stored, distributed or dispatched from any place of work unless in suitably sealed and labelled receptacles. The receptacles should be designed, constructed, maintained and closed so as to prevent escape of any of the contents when subjected to the stresses and strains of normal handling.
All asbestos waste must be sealed in plastic bags (200m thick) and labelled "Asbestos hazard - wear respirator and protective clothing while handling contents".
11.4 Disposal Programme
A waste-disposal programme and record keeping should be developed taking account of:
- waste containment;
- the location for waste storage onsite;
- the transport of waste within the site and offsite;
- the location of the designated refuse site;
- approvals needed from the relevant local disposal authority;
- any local disposal authority requirements that may apply to the amount and dimensions of the asbestos waste; and
- verification of the volume of waste disposed of at the designated refuse site (tip dockets, for example).
Loose asbestos should not be allowed to accumulate within the asbestos work area. Asbestos waste may be collected and disposed of in an asbestos waste bag, drum, bin, or waste skip bin.
If asbestos waste cannot be disposed of immediately (because of volume requirements for disposal, for example), it should be stored in a solid-waste drum or skip bin and sealed and secured upon completion of each day's work so that unauthorised access is prevented.
11.5 Waste Bags
Asbestos cement sheets and pipes or insulating board must not be broken or cut for disposal in plastic bags. The employer must ensure that these materials are suitably sealed in plastic and transferred to a truck or skip for transport to a disposal site. The skip or truck is either to be labelled as containing asbestos or the driver is to carry a copy of the disposal authorisation permit from the registered landfill.
Asbestos waste must be collected in heavy duty 200m polythene bags that are no more than 1200mm long and 900mm wide. The bags should be labelled with an appropriate warning, clearly stating that they contain asbestos and that dust creation and inhalation should be avoided.
An example of a warning statement that might be used is:
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Controlled wetting of the waste should be employed to reduce asbestos dust emissions during bag sealing or any subsequent rupture of the bag.
Only new, unused bags should be used and bags marked for asbestos must not be used for any other purpose.
Hard and sharp asbestos waste requires preliminary sealing or a protective covering before it is placed in the waste bags, to minimise the risk of damage to the bags.
In order to further minimise the risk of a bag tearing or splitting, and to assist in manual handling, asbestos waste bags should not be filled more than half full and excess air should be gently evacuated from the waste bag in a manner that does not cause the release of dust.
The bags should then be twisted tightly, folded over (goose-necked) and the neck secured in the folded position with adhesive tape or any other effective method.
The external surface of each bag should be cleaned to remove any adhering dust before the bag is removed from the asbestos work area.
The asbestos waste should be double-bagged outside the work area immediately following the decontamination process.
The routes used for removing waste from the asbestos work area should be designated in the asbestos removal control plan before the commencement of each removal. The methods used to transport wastes through the building should be determined by the asbestos removalist.
In occupied buildings, all movements of waste bags should be outside normal working hours.
Once the waste bags have been removed from the asbestos work area, they should either:
- be placed in a solid waste drum, bin or skip; or
- be removed from the site by a person who holds a New Zealand Driver Licence endorsement for Class D (Dangerous Goods).
Waste bags should not be stored at the asbestos removal site if they are not placed in an asbestos waste drum, bin or skip bin.
If a decontamination unit is being used for the asbestos removal then asbestos waste bags should be removed from the asbestos work area through the decontamination unit using the following "production line" operation:
- One worker is located in each section of the decontamination unit.
- The waste bags are passed from cubicle to cubicle and "showered out" to remove any asbestos residue.
- Once they have been removed from the decontamination unit, the waste bags are double-bagged prior to disposal.
11.6 Asbestos Waste Drums or Bins
All drums or bins used for the storage and disposal of asbestos waste should be in a good condition with lids and rims in good working order and free of hazardous residues.
The drums or bins should be lined with plastic (minimum 200m thickness) and labels warning of the asbestos waste should be placed on the top and side of each drum or bin with the words, "DANGER: ASBESTOS. DO NOT BREAK SEAL" or a similar warning.
If the drum or bin is to be reused the asbestos waste must be packed so that when the bin or drum is emptied there is no residue asbestos contamination.
Controlled wetting of the waste should be used to reduce asbestos dust emissions.
Where possible, the drum or bin should be placed in the asbestos work area before work on asbestos-contaminated materials begins. The drums or bins should have their rims sealed and their outer surfaces wet-wiped and inspected before they are removed from the asbestos work area.
Where it is not possible to locate the bins or drums inside the asbestos work area they should be located as close to the work area as possible. Routes for moving the waste from the asbestos work area to the waste drums or bins should be designated prior to the commencement of each task. The asbestos removalist should decide the best means of moving the waste through the building. In occupied buildings all movement of bags from the work area to the waste drums or bins should be performed outside normal working hours.
Drums or bins used to store asbestos waste should be stored in a secure location when they are not in use.
Drums or bins should not be moved manually once they have been filled. Trolleys or drum lifters should be used.
Vacuum suction (Super Suckers) may be used to collect removed asbestos-contaminated materials. The asbestos removalist should assess the process to prevent asbestos contamination. Air from the vacuum system must be passed through a HEPA filter before it is released outside the asbestos work area.
11.7 Asbestos Waste Skip Bins, etc
If it is not feasible to use asbestos waste bags, drums or bins because of the volume or size of asbestos wastes, a waste skip bin, vehicle tray or similar container may be used.
Skip bins should be in good condition with no holes or rust or sharp edges that may damage or snag wrapping material.
The asbestos-contaminated materials should be sealed in a double-lined, heavy-duty plastic sheeting 250m (or similar impermeable material such as Geotech material) or double-bagged before they placed in the skip bin. However, non-friable asbestos waste may be placed directly into a skip bin or vehicle tray that has been double-lined with heavy-duty plastic sheeting (250m thickness) provided it is kept damp to minimise the generation of airborne asbestos fibres.
Should the asbestos load be of a large quantity and weight, the material may be required to be split loaded into skip bins, vehicle trays and trailers to allow for safer transfer to the registered tip-site for disposal.
This requires the asbestos material to be wetted, wrapped and sealed in more than one package for disposal. The asbestos removalist should consult with their appointed registered landfill for advice and assistance.
Once the skip bin is full its contents should be completely sealed with the plastic sheeting.
If the skip bin is to be used for storing the asbestos waste it must be able to be secured (by using a lockable lid, for example).
11.8 Recycling of Construction Materials
Before any building materials are recycled, procedures need to be established to ensure asbestos-contaminated materials are not reused unless they have been successfully decontaminated.
These procedures should include the quarantining of incoming building materials that are intended for recycling to:
- allow screening these materials for asbestos-contamination before they are distributed within the recycling yard; and
- enable the removal of contaminated building products to prevent their redistribution.
11.9 Handling
The employer should ensure that asbestos waste received into or dispatched from any workplace is packed in sealed plastic bags and the following practices applied:
- Pallet loads should be securely fastened by banding (in order to not cut or puncture the bags) and covered.
- Pallet loads should be securely mounted on suitable pallets that can be moved by hoist, forklift truck or other mechanical handling means without damage. Hooks or other sharp equipment should not be used for handling the bags.
- A supply of suitable adhesive tape should be made available by the employer to repair any damaged bags. Where the damage cannot be repaired to prevent the release of asbestos during handling, the damaged bag should be placed inside another receptacle that can be sealed effectively.
- Asbestos cement sheets and pipes or insulating board should not be broken or cut for disposal in plastic bags. The employer should ensure that these materials are suitably sealed in plastic and transferred to a truck or skip for transport to a disposal site. The skip or truck should be labelled as containing asbestos.
- The skip or other container should be cleaned thoroughly after use.
- Manufactured goods containing asbestos such as brake linings and clutch facings should be sealed or suitably packaged (by shrink-wrapping, for example) to prevent asbestos fibre arising from abrasion during transport.
11.10 Disposal at Designated Refuse Site
All asbestos waste is to be buried in a designated area within a managed refuse disposal site under the control of a territorial local authority under the Resource Management Act, and covered with at least 1 metre of earth in accordance with the provisions of Regulation 13 of the Health & Safety in Employment (Asbestos) Regulations 1998.
There will be a need for some discretion on what constitutes "earth" used to cover waste asbestos in a refuse disposal site. The intention of Regulation 13 is that the waste asbestos be covered with material to prevent the spread of asbestos fibres. Relatively small quantities of asbestos waste, such as sanding from flooring, asbestos waste from brake workshops, asbestos cement from repair jobs, should be able to be safely disposed of by covering with compacted refuse. Operators of refuse disposal sites usually set aside an area for the disposal of large amounts of asbestos that are covered as necessary with clean fill or other material.
11.11 Reuse of Asbestos Products
The reuse or resale of products containing asbestos is strictly prohibited under law.
