Asbestos in Older Sunshine Coast Homes: Where It Hides

Does age tell you anything?

Yes, as a guide. Queensland asbestos guidance says a home built before the mid 1980s is highly likely to contain it, and one built up to 1990 is likely to. Plenty of holiday cottages and post war houses on the coast fall into that window.

The usual places

Fibro is the obvious one: external wall sheeting, eaves and gable ends. Look also at wet area linings behind tiles, vinyl floor coverings and their backing, corrugated roofs on sheds and garages, old fence panels, and pipes or flues. Later renovations can hide older sheeting behind new cladding.

Don't guess

Looking at a sheet won't tell you what it is made of. Only testing will. If you are unsure, treat it as asbestos until a [test](/services/asbestos-testing) shows otherwise. Avoid drilling, sanding, cutting or water blasting it.

What the rules say

Removing more than 10 square metres of non friable asbestos needs a Class B licence in Queensland. Friable asbestos needs a Class A licence. Before a home is demolished, asbestos likely to be disturbed must be identified and, where reasonably practicable, removed.

If it is in good condition

Bonded asbestos left undisturbed and in sound condition is generally lower risk than damaged material. Whether to leave, seal or remove it depends on your plans, so get advice from someone who has seen it.

Removal and disposal

Licensed removal finishes with a clearance certificate. Keep it with your property records. Waste has to go to a site that accepts asbestos, and both councils on the coast ask for notice, so this isn't a job for a trailer run. If you want it dealt with, [tell us what you have found](/services/asbestos-removal).