The short answer
Asbestos waste is hazardous waste. It must be double-wrapped and labelled, moved by a registered waste carrier, and taken to a site permitted to accept it. If a contractor removes or collects asbestos from your home, a hazardous waste consignment note must go with it.
Householders with a small amount of bonded asbestos may be able to use a council facility by arrangement. Check your own council’s rules first. Never put asbestos in household bins, recycling or a general skip.
Why asbestos is hazardous waste
HSE’s waste sheet, EM9, says asbestos waste is hazardous waste in England and Wales “when it contains more than 0.1% asbestos”. Almost any asbestos-containing material is far above that. It also warns: “Don’t mix asbestos waste with other waste to get below 0.1%.”
HSE’s asbestos FAQs say asbestos waste “should not be mixed with normal household waste”. That includes bins, recycling and general skips.
How it must be packed
EM9 sets out the standard practice:
- Double-bag smaller waste: a red inner bag with asbestos warnings, inside a clear outer bag. Each is sealed.
- Wrap large pieces in heavy-duty (1000-gauge) polythene sheeting and label them. EM9 says to “avoid breaking up large pieces of asbestos waste”.
- Label the packaging so anyone handling it knows what it is.
Disposable overalls, masks, wipes and sheeting used during the work go in as asbestos waste too.
The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 (regulation 24) also require asbestos waste to be moved only in sealed, labelled packaging.
Who can carry it
Anyone carrying waste as part of a business must be registered as a waste carrier. EM9 says you need a waste carrier’s licence to transport it, or must arrange transport by a registered waste carrier.
You can check a company on the public register of waste carriers before you hire them. If someone offers to take your asbestos away and can’t show a registration, don’t use them. You could be liable if your waste is fly-tipped.
Consignment notes
Hazardous waste must travel with a consignment note. It records what the waste is, where it came from, who carried it and where it went.
There is an exemption for householders taking their own domestic hazardous waste to a collection point, but asbestos is excluded from it. Gov.uk’s consignment note guidance says that when a contractor collects asbestos from a home, the contractor must consign it, complete the note as the waste producer, and enter the home’s address.
EM9 says to keep copies for three years. If you hire a contractor, ask for a copy of the consignment note for your records.
Where it can go
Asbestos must go to a site licensed or permitted to accept it. These include hazardous waste landfills and transfer stations with the right permit. A general skip company or tip can’t take it unless they hold the right permit and have agreed to take it.
Council household waste centres
Some councils accept small amounts of bonded asbestos, such as a few cement sheets, from householders at certain sites. This is usually by prior arrangement, with limits on quantity and packaging, and sometimes a charge. Rules vary widely between councils and change over time. Many don’t accept it at all.
HSE advises householders to contact their local authority about disposal. Check your own council’s website or call them before loading the car. Don’t turn up unannounced with asbestos. Household sites are usually for household waste only, so businesses should expect to use a permitted commercial route.
Fly-tipping: penalties
Dumping asbestos is fly-tipping, and it’s dangerous for whoever finds it. In England, the government raised the maximum fixed penalties in 2023 (gov.uk, July 2023):
- up to £1,000 for fly-tipping
- up to £600 for a householder who breaches their household waste duty of care, for example by handing waste to an unregistered carrier who dumps it
Cases can also go to court. Under section 33 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, conviction on indictment can lead to up to five years’ imprisonment, a fine, or both.
If you find fly-tipped asbestos, don’t touch it. Report it to your council. HSE has a separate task sheet, A38, for people who clear it up as part of their work.
Scotland and Wales
In Scotland, asbestos above the same 0.1% threshold is “special waste” rather than hazardous waste, and the regulator is the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). In Wales, contact Natural Resources Wales. EM9 gives these contacts. The gov.uk consignment guidance quoted above is for England.
Sheets you’ve already taken down
A common situation: a garage or shed roof has already been taken down, and the sheets are stacked in the garden. Don’t break them up to fit them in bags or a car. Keep them damp and covered, keep children and pets away, and arrange collection.
A collection should still follow the rules: wrapping, a registered carrier and a consignment note. If sheets are broken or crumbling, tell whoever is collecting them, because it changes how they need to be handled. See asbestos cement sheets and the asbestos shed removal guide.
If you’re using a contractor
A proper removal quote should include bagging or wrapping, transport by a registered carrier, the disposal charge and a consignment note. Ask:
- What is your waste carrier registration number?
- Which site will the waste go to?
- Will I get a copy of the consignment note?
We include waste handling in our removal quotes. See asbestos removal or ask us for a quote. If you’re thinking of doing the removal yourself, read can I remove asbestos myself? first.
Quick answers
Can I put asbestos in a skip?
Not a general skip. Asbestos must be kept separate and go to a site permitted to accept it.
Can I take asbestos to the tip?
Some councils accept small amounts of bonded asbestos from householders by arrangement. Check your own council’s rules first.
Do I need a consignment note?
If a contractor collects asbestos from your home, yes. The household exemption doesn’t cover asbestos.
How should asbestos be wrapped?
Double-wrapped and labelled: a red inner bag with asbestos warnings inside a clear outer bag, or heavy polythene for large pieces.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. For the law itself, see the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 and HSE’s asbestos pages. Not sure what you’re dealing with? Ask us.