In years past, it was common for asbestos artex. In fact, it was common in many building materials right up until the early 1990s. Generally, artex has been free of asbestos for around 20 years now so if you’ve got a newish home then you’re in the clear. However, if you’re uncertain it’s best to get it checked out by specialist asbestos removal contractors.

If you are planning an asbestos artex removal project it is important that you do not scrape or dry sand the material. This can cause asbestos fibres to be released into the air, which, if breathed in or swallowed can over time cause such diseases as asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma. Nasty stuff.

Instead, using a wallpaper steamer you should get the artex as wet as possible and steam it off carefully. While artex contains only a small amount of asbestos anyway, keeping it wet will help minimise the risk of asbestos fibres becoming airborne and you breathing it in.

While removing the artex, you should place it into thick plastic bagging. Each bag should be sealed with strong adhesive tape when it is around one-third full. This will help minimise the risk of the bag breaking. Once sealed you should mark the bag as containing asbestos waste. It is important you use proper asbestos bags for this and not typical garbage bags. You can buy these from any good supplier of construction equipment or safety gear.

Bags containing asbestos cannot be dumped in with your regular garbage. You should call your local authorities and find your nearest landfill site that accepts asbestos waste.

We do not recommend attempting asbestos artex removal yourself. A qualified asbestos specialist should be used for asbestos removal work. If you do plan on doing the work yourself it is important that you wear the correct safety gear, including an approved asbestos respirator, overalls, hat, boots and goggles. It is also important that you seal off the area you are working in with plastic and strong adhesive tape.