Dispose of asbestos the right way

Published on 20 February 2017

Sunraysia residents who need to dispose of asbestos waste are being urged to follow the correct process to ensure this potentially dangerous substance is disposed of safely.

The Mildura Landfill is the only facility in the municipality licensed to accept asbestos waste, however residents have a role to play to ensure it reaches the landfill, and is disposed of, safely.

Residents can only dispose of a limited amount of asbestos waste – no more than 10 square metres. Larger quantities must be handled by a licensed asbestos removal contractor.

Contractors and residents are asked to call Mildura Landfill before bringing in asbestos for disposal.

Mildura Rural City Councillor for Environmental Sustainability Anthony Cirillo said given the number of older homes in the district, many of which may contain asbestos, as well as the popularity of DIY home renovations, knowing how to manage asbestos waste is vitally important.

“Up to 90 percent of asbestos produced in, or imported into Australia, was used for the manufacture of building products, especially asbestos cement materials before the late 1980s,” Cr Cirillo said.

“That means it’s likely residents working on older homes may come across asbestos and need to know how to handle it, not only for their own safety, but to ensure it’s disposed of correctly at the Mildura Landfill.”

Asbestos waste at the landfill is disposed of in a specific section of the facility.

Identifying asbestos is another key step, as some residents unknowingly bring asbestos waste to the Mildura Landfill intending to dispose of it as general waste.

For information on identifying and handling asbestos, as well as health facts, visit www.asbestos.vic.gov.au.

While unlicensed removal of asbestos can be legally carried out by homeowners, many jobs are best left to the experts. Licensed asbestos contractors can be found online or in your local Yellow Pages. There is also a listing of local licensed asbestos contactors at www.asbestos.vic.gov.au.

What is asbestos?

Asbestos is the name given to a group of naturally occurring minerals found in rock formations, and when processed, its fibres were found to be strong, heat resistant and good insulators.

Asbestos is also broken down into loose fibres or fibre bundles which can be mixed in with other materials, such as cement, to produce a variety of building products. 

For more information about asbestos disposal, including disposal fees and charges, contact the Mildura Landfill on (03) 5018 8475.

Media enquiries 
Ben Piscioneri
p) (03) 5018 8689 
e) ben.piscioneri@mildura.vic.gov.au