How Do You Dispose of Asbestos? Waste Rules for Homeowners, Tradespeople and Businesses
Asbestos waste is hazardous waste, so it cannot go in a household bin, a general skip or a mixed rubbish load. It must be double-wrapped, labelled, kept sealed and taken only to a site whose permit allows it, usually by a registered waste carrier with a hazardous waste consignment note. A homeowner may be able to take a small amount of their own material to a council site that accepts it by booking, but many sites refuse it. Licensed work needs a licensed contractor, and awareness training does not qualify anyone to remove asbestos.
On this page
- 1Why is asbestos waste treated as hazardous waste?
- 2What counts as asbestos waste?
- 3Can asbestos go in a household bin, a skip or a mixed load?
- 4Who is allowed to handle which asbestos waste?
- 5How must asbestos waste be wrapped and labelled?
- 6Who can transport asbestos waste, and how?
- 7Where can asbestos waste legally go?
- 8What is a consignment note, and what records must you keep?
- 9Is digital waste tracking mandatory for asbestos waste in England?
- 10What are the penalties for dumping asbestos or breaking the duty of care?
- 11What if you have already broken or disturbed asbestos material?
- 12Do the rules differ in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland?
- 13What should a homeowner check before getting rid of asbestos?
- 14What should a small contractor check before moving asbestos waste?
- 15Does asbestos awareness training cover waste disposal?
- 16Frequently asked questions
- What it is. Asbestos waste is hazardous waste, so it cannot go in a household bin, a general skip or a mixed rubbish load.
- Packing. HSE's standard practice is double-wrapping: a red inner bag with asbestos warnings and a clear outer bag, never overfilled, with large pieces not broken up.
- Paperwork. Contractors and businesses use a registered carrier, a permitted site and a consignment note, and producers keep records for three years.
- Homeowners. The hazardous waste regulations place no obligations on a householder for their own asbestos waste, but councils set their own rules and many refuse it.
This guide is for homeowners, tradespeople, landlords and small businesses who need to get rid of asbestos-containing material or might be asked to move it. It covers England, checked on 2 November 2026, with a table on Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. For what to do the moment you find suspect material, see what to do if you discover asbestos, and for where it hides, see where asbestos is found in UK buildings. General information, not legal advice.
Why is asbestos waste treated as hazardous waste?
Because the danger travels with the fibres, not the lump of material. HSE’s disposal sheet EM9, Disposal of asbestos waste (dated September 2017), reminds readers that asbestos fibres can cause fatal lung disease and lung cancer, which is why the rules on packing, moving and dumping waste are strict.
EM9 says that in England and Wales asbestos waste is hazardous waste when it contains more than 0.1% asbestos, so the Hazardous Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2005 apply, and it warns against mixing asbestos waste with other waste to get below that level. GOV.UK’s waste classification list (updated 13 August 2025) gives the codes: 17 06 05* for other construction materials containing asbestos and 17 06 01* for insulation containing asbestos. The asterisk means hazardous, and the code goes on the paperwork described below. GOV.UK’s hazardous waste guidance (updated 29 January 2025) lists asbestos first among its examples.
What counts as asbestos waste?
HSE treats any asbestos product or material that is ready for disposal as asbestos waste. EM9 adds contaminated building materials, tools that cannot be decontaminated, disposable protective equipment and damp rags used for cleaning, and HSE’s asbestos FAQ (updated 4 September 2025) adds dust and rubble. So the bag of used overalls and wipes from a clean-up is asbestos waste, just as the sheet is.
You cannot identify asbestos by eye. nidirect, the Northern Ireland government’s public information site, says it can be difficult to identify asbestos in your home and that you may need a surveyor or skilled contractor to take a sample. The table gives examples of materials and how HSE describes work on them, drawing on its pages on non-licensed work (updated 23 February 2024), notifiable non-licensed work (6 September 2024) and licensable work (9 September 2024). It is not a way of identifying them.
| Material (examples) | What HSE says about work on it | Waste point |
|---|---|---|
| Asbestos cement: roof sheets, gutters, flues, pipes | The least friable materials, such as asbestos cement, can normally be treated as non-licensed work. All non-licensed work still needs appropriate controls, and some of it is notifiable. | HSE says intact sheets should not be broken into smaller pieces. Double-wrap them in 1000-gauge polythene and label them. See fragile roofs and rooflights for the roof risks. |
| Textured coatings such as Artex | Drilling textured decorative coatings to fit fixtures is one of HSE’s examples of non-licensed work. | Coatings firmly attached to a board should not be broken up. See Is Artex asbestos? |
| Vinyl floor tiles, bitumen roof felt, mastics | HSE lists maintenance work on these among its non-licensed examples. | Once removed, they are asbestos waste like any other. |
| Insulating board, some wall and ceiling linings | HSE says insulating board closely resembles plasterboard. Work on it is licensable where the risk assessment shows it will not be short duration. | Where the work is licensable, the licensed contractor arranges the waste. |
| Pipe lagging, sprayed coatings, loose-fill insulation | HSE lists work that may disturb pipe lagging, removing sprayed coatings and any work with loose-fill insulation as licensable. | Licensed contractor only. The waste follows the licensed route. |
| Used rags, sheeting, overalls, respirator filters, tools | EM9 counts them as asbestos waste. | Bag them with the rest, by the same rules. |
Our guide to Category A and Category B asbestos training explains how the three types of work map to training.
Can asbestos go in a household bin, a skip or a mixed load?
No. HSE’s FAQ says asbestos-containing materials must be legally disposed of as hazardous waste and not mixed with normal household waste. nidirect says you must not put asbestos in household waste or recycling collections in Northern Ireland, and Nottinghamshire County Council tells residents that asbestos is not accepted at any of its recycling centres. A general skip is no better. HSE says it is not good enough to throw sheeting over a standard skip, and asbestos needs a sealed or lockable container.
The Environment Agency’s press release on Reddem Ltd (20 February 2026) shows what regulators expect: asbestos waste stored double-bagged in sealed containers, skips used to store it kept enclosed, and no moving it between skips. If you hire a skip for a clearance, keep suspected asbestos out of it.
Who is allowed to handle which asbestos waste?
It depends on who you are. Regulation 13 of the Hazardous Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2005 says the regulations apply to asbestos waste whether or not it is domestic waste, that nothing in them imposes obligations on the occupier of domestic premises for asbestos waste produced there, and that a contractor engaged for works at domestic premises that produce asbestos waste is treated as the producer, and as the consignor unless someone else is engaged for that role.
| Who you are | What the law says about you | Practical route |
|---|---|---|
| Homeowner with a small amount of non-licensed material from your own home | No duties under the Hazardous Waste Regulations (regulation 13(2)). The household duty of care in section 34(2A) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 still applies: take reasonable steps to pass the waste only to an authorised person. | A council site that accepts it by arrangement, a permitted private site, or a registered carrier. Follow the receiving site’s packaging and booking rules. |
| Tradesperson doing a job at a home | Treated as the producer and usually the consignor of the asbestos waste (regulation 13(3)). The waste is theirs, not the householder’s. | Consignment note, records, a registered carrier (their own registration if they move it themselves) and a permitted site. The council sites below exclude trade waste. |
| Licensed contractor | Holds an HSE licence for licensable work under regulation 8 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012. | Arranges the waste chain. Ask for your copy of the consignment note. |
| Business or landlord with non-domestic premises, or clearing vacated premises | The full duty of care in section 34(1). The code of practice says waste from clearing premises after they have been vacated is not household waste. | Classify, use an authorised carrier and permitted site, complete the consignment note, keep records. |
| School or commercial building | The duty holder manages the asbestos under regulation 4 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations, and waste duties are as in the row above. | See the duty to manage asbestos and asbestos in schools. |
The tradesperson row matters for homeowners too. GOV.UK’s household waste guidance (updated 22 December 2022) says waste produced by a tradesperson you hire for construction or renovation is business waste, and they are responsible for disposing of it correctly. The waste duty of care code of practice adds that if you put your own waste in their skip, your duty of care applies to it. HSE strongly encourages trained professionals for repair or removal, so having no obligations under the hazardous waste rules does not make removal a good do-it-yourself job.
How must asbestos waste be wrapped and labelled?
EM9 says waste should be packed in UN-approved packaging, with a carriage of dangerous goods (CDG) hazard label and asbestos code information visible, double-wrapped and labelled. HSE calls a red inner bag with asbestos warnings and a clear outer bag with the CDG label, where required, standard practice. Large pieces should not be broken up: double-wrap them in 1000-gauge polythene sheeting and label them. Do not overfill bags, and beware sharp objects that could puncture the plastic. EM9 adds that most asbestos waste falls under the Carriage of Dangerous Goods regulations 2009, though firmly-bound asbestos such as asbestos cement does not. The sheet is dated September 2017, so check HSE for the current version.
Employers have a legal duty as well. Regulation 24 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 says an employer who undertakes work with asbestos must make sure waste containing asbestos is not stored, received into or despatched from a place of work unless it is in a sealed receptacle or sealed wrapping, clearly marked to show it contains asbestos. Receiving sites set their own packaging rules too. Hertfordshire County Council, for example, requires UN-approved packaging and says it will refuse asbestos in black bin bags or torn packaging (page checked on 2 November 2026).
Who can transport asbestos waste, and how?
Moving waste as part of a business is a registered activity. Section 1 of the Control of Pollution (Amendment) Act 1989 makes it an offence for an unregistered person to transport controlled waste in the course of any business, or otherwise with a view to profit. GOV.UK’s carrier registration page says you can get an unlimited fine if you do not register, and its hazardous waste guidance says a business transporting hazardous waste must register, giving moving your own waste as an example.
There are two kinds of registration. The code of practice says upper tier allows a person to transport other people’s waste, while lower tier is primarily for organisations carrying their own. GOV.UK says registration is usually free if you only transport waste you produce yourself. Which tier a tradesperson needs for asbestos waste from their own jobs is a question for the Environment Agency (03708 506 506): ask before you carry it. If you are checking a skip firm or clearance business for household waste, GOV.UK says to look for an upper tier registration on the Environment Agency’s public register, and each carrier’s number should start with CBDU.
The vehicle matters. EM9 says to carry asbestos waste in a sealed skip, or a vehicle with a segregated, easily cleanable, lockable compartment for the asbestos, and otherwise to arrange transport by a registered waste carrier. HSE’s 2017 wording calls this a waste carrier’s licence, but the system is now registration. The consignment note travels with the load: GOV.UK says the carrier checks parts A and B of the note and the waste before accepting it, leaves one copy with the producer, keeps two copies that stay with the waste until the destination, and keeps records for one year.
A householder is in a different position. Section 1 applies to transport “in the course of any business” or with a view to profit, and a householder moving their own household waste in their own vehicle is doing neither. The code of practice says people taking their own waste for disposal will typically take it to the council’s household waste and recycling centre, after checking that it can accept that type of waste. Whether a council site will take asbestos is a separate question.
Where can asbestos waste legally go?
Only to a site whose environmental permit, or registered exemption, lets it accept that waste. GOV.UK tells householders using a private site to ask for its permit or exemption number and check it on the Environment Agency’s register of environmental permits for waste operations or its register of waste exemptions. HSE’s FAQ says your local authority can give details of suitable disposal sites. Council policies vary widely, and many household waste recycling centres refuse asbestos or require booking. Three examples, from pages checked on 2 November 2026:
| Council | What it says about household asbestos |
|---|---|
| Hertfordshire County Council | Small quantities of household bonded white (chrysotile) asbestos are accepted at Ware and Welwyn Garden City recycling centres by prior booking only: one bag of up to 20 kg per household per year, for Hertfordshire residents with proof of address, in UN-approved packaging. No trade waste, and more than 20 kg needs a private contractor. |
| Staffordshire County Council | Asbestos removed by householders is accepted at five recycling centres between 1pm and 3pm: up to four sheets no larger than 3 feet by 3 feet, or four bags of about 25 kg, per household every six months, double-wrapped in heavy-duty clear polythene. Asbestos from traders, companies and contractors is not accepted. |
| Nottinghamshire County Council | Not accepted at any recycling centre. A resident who dismantles and removes a structure containing asbestos from their own home can book an appointment at a dedicated site, for a fee, if they meet certain criteria. If a contractor or tradesperson dismantles it, they must remove and dispose of the material safely. |
The pattern is booking, quantity limits, material limits, packaging rules and no trade waste, and your council may differ from all three. Private permitted sites and some skip firms accept asbestos by arrangement: ask for the registration or permit number and check it before you hand anything over.
What is a consignment note, and what records must you keep?
A hazardous waste consignment note travels with hazardous waste from where it is produced to where it is received. GOV.UK says it must stay with the waste until the final destination. Each party completes the part for their role: producer or holder parts A and B, carrier part C, consignor part D and the receiving site, the consignee, part E. The producer needs the waste code from earlier in this guide and the SIC code for the business activity. The producer keeps one copy and gives two to the carrier.
| Role | Records, according to GOV.UK’s hazardous waste guidance |
|---|---|
| Producer or holder | A register for three years at the premises that produced or stored the waste: consignment notes, quarterly consignee returns from the receiving site, carrier schedules and records of rejected loads. HSE’s EM9 also says to keep copies for three years. |
| Carrier | Records kept for one year, at the head office. |
| Receiving site | Must reject waste if the consignment note is missing, incorrect or incomplete, and send consignee returns each quarter. |
Who needs a note for asbestos? Not a domestic occupier dealing with their own asbestos waste, under regulation 13(2). A contractor working at a home is treated as the producer and consignor, so the contractor completes it. The code of practice says the usual exception for domestic hazardous waste removed from a household does not extend to asbestos waste.
Is digital waste tracking mandatory for asbestos waste in England?
In part. Mandatory digital waste tracking has started, but so far only for sites that receive waste. Under the Digital Waste Tracking (England) Regulations 2026 and the Welsh equivalent, a site permitted to receive controlled waste in England or Wales must report each load through the “Report receipt of waste” service from 1 October 2026, within two working days, counting from the day after receipt (GOV.UK guidance, updated 19 October 2026). A site that accepts your asbestos waste will record it. GOV.UK says paper waste transfer notes and hazardous waste consignment notes continue alongside the service until further notice.
| Who | What is required | Status (GOV.UK, checked 2 November 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Permitted sites receiving controlled waste in England and Wales | Report each load received within two working days | Mandatory from 1 October 2026 |
| Household recycling centres receiving household waste from residents in England | Not required to use the service | Exempt under the GOV.UK guidance |
| Receiving sites in Scotland and Northern Ireland | Report receipts | Planned to become mandatory from January 2027 |
| Waste carriers, brokers and dealers | A service for collectors | Planned, and not in force as far as we could find: private beta from autumn 2026, public beta from spring 2027, mandatory from October 2027 |
| Householders and waste producers | Nothing new in the published timeline | Consignment notes continue as before |
The dates come from the Defra and Environment Agency policy paper on developing the service (updated 1 October 2026). Nothing about wrapping, labelling or paperwork changes for a homeowner or small contractor today.
What are the penalties for dumping asbestos or breaking the duty of care?
GOV.UK’s guidance for councils on fly-tipping (updated 28 March 2024) says prosecutions can be brought under section 33 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, with an unlimited fine or up to five years in prison on conviction, and that a fixed penalty notice is not an appropriate sanction for fly-tipping of hazardous waste. Failing the duty of care in section 34 carries, on summary conviction, a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum and, on conviction on indictment, a fine. Householders face a different tool: if you give household waste to someone not legally allowed to take it and did not do the checks, GOV.UK says your council can offer a fixed penalty notice or prosecute. The fixed penalty guidance (updated 1 April 2024) sets limits of £150 to £600, with a default of £200.
Two Environment Agency press releases show how it works for businesses. On 20 February 2026 it reported that Reddem Ltd of Wooler had pleaded guilty to operating an illegal waste site and to keeping asbestos-containing waste in open containers, and was fined £4,000 with £4,000 costs and a £1,600 victim surcharge. More than 40 tonnes of material containing asbestos was later removed to a permitted site. On 25 September 2024 it reported that PDM Industries Ltd and its director were sentenced for offences that included operating a facility handling asbestos without a permit, alongside burying waste tyres, and fines and costs came to £60,046.
If you find fly-tipped asbestos, do not touch it. GOV.UK says to report small-scale fly-tipping, including a sheet of asbestos, to your council’s environmental health team, and large-scale or hazardous dumping to the Environment Agency incident hotline on 0800 80 70 60 (24 hours) or anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. HSE’s sheet A38, How to deal with fly-tipped asbestos waste, is written for trained people. It says to notify the relevant authority first, and to get an HSE-licensed contractor if the waste is spread around or mixed with other material.
What if you have already broken or disturbed asbestos material?
Stop, keep other people away, and do not sweep, vacuum, bag or bin it yet. Our guide to what to do if you discover asbestos sets out the first five minutes and what the duty holder does next. HSE’s FAQ says that without training for non-licensed asbestos work you should not try to repair or remove asbestos yourself, and that you can seek advice from an environmental health officer at your local council. Once a competent person has assessed the situation, the waste follows the route in this guide.
Do the rules differ in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland?
Yes. This table summarises official pages checked on 2 November 2026. Check the regulator before acting, because these pages change.
| Nation | Regulator | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Wales | Natural Resources Wales | The 2005 hazardous waste regulations apply in England and Wales. NRW says domestic hazardous waste can usually move from a home without a consignment note, but contractors moving asbestos from a domestic property need consignment notes. Receiving sites must use digital waste tracking from 1 October 2026, and GOV.UK says recycling centres in Wales do not have to. |
| Scotland | SEPA | HSE’s EM9 says asbestos waste over 0.1% is special waste in Scotland. SEPA’s FAQ on the Special Waste Amendment (Scotland) Regulations 2004 says domestic asbestos waste is special waste and the rules apply unless the original producer is the resident or acts for the resident without reward, so a paid contractor must comply. That FAQ is old, so check SEPA’s current guidance. Digital waste tracking is planned for receiving sites from January 2027. |
| Northern Ireland | DAERA and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency | nidirect says asbestos must not go in household waste or recycling collections, only sites licensed by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency can accept it, and a homeowner not acting for commercial gain can arrange disposal with a licensed hazardous waste disposal site, with the asbestos double-bagged or wrapped in 1000-gauge polythene. DAERA’s hazardous waste unit is on 028 9056 9710. Digital waste tracking is planned from January 2027. |
What should a homeowner check before getting rid of asbestos?
These checklists are our suggestions, not a legal form.
- Do you know it is asbestos? Get it identified by a surveyor or contractor, and leave it alone until you do.
- Is it a professional’s job? HSE strongly encourages trained professionals, and lagging, sprayed coatings and some insulating board need a licensed contractor.
- If a tradesperson removes it, they are the producer. Ask for their carrier registration number, check it on the Environment Agency register, and ask for your copy of the consignment note.
- If you plan to take material yourself, check your council’s page first: is it accepted, by booking, in what quantity and packaging, with what proof of address?
- Use approved packaging from a supplier. Do not break the material up, and keep it out of household bins and skips.
- Keep a note of your checks. Records are not a legal requirement for householders, says the code of practice, but they can show you met your duty of care if waste is later fly-tipped.
What should a small contractor check before moving asbestos waste?
- Is the work licensable, notifiable non-licensed work, or non-licensed work? The employer decides, on a risk assessment, using HSE’s guidance.
- Are the people doing it trained for that work? Awareness training is the entry level and does not cover removal.
- Have you classified the waste and put the right code on the note, such as 17 06 05*?
- Is it double-wrapped, labelled, not overfilled and not mixed with other waste?
- Are you registered as a carrier, and is it the right tier? Ask the Environment Agency if unsure, or use a registered carrier with a lockable vehicle.
- Is the consignment note complete, with copies for the carrier and for you, filed for three years?
- Does the receiving site’s permit cover asbestos, and have you booked?
Does asbestos awareness training cover waste disposal?
It does not qualify anyone to do it. Category A asbestos awareness is for people who might disturb asbestos by accident in the course of normal work. The course page says it is an awareness course only and does not qualify learners to work with or remove asbestos. It does not authorise anyone to carry out licensed or notifiable work, take samples, remove asbestos or carry its waste, and it is not a regulated qualification. We make no claim that it is equivalent to any other provider’s scheme. Non-licensed work needs further, specific training.
What Asbestos Awareness (Category A) can do is help a tradesperson recognise when to stop and who must be told, which is where the waste questions in this guide begin. If you are unsure which training a job needs, see what asbestos awareness training is and who legally needs it. For hazardous substances and storage, see our guides to COSHH regulations and employer duties and how to store hazardous chemicals. Three Nexis CPD courses build the knowledge behind this guide:
Together they cost £18 rather than £27 under the pay-for-2-get-3 offer, and employers training 5 or more staff pay £6 a course place on the team plan. These are awareness-level CPD courses, not regulated qualifications, and they do not replace your employer’s procedures, a licensed contractor, site-specific instruction or the practical training that non-licensed work needs. If you take one, start with Asbestos Awareness (Category A): 20 questions, 80% to pass, and an instant certificate.
Asbestos Awareness (Category A)
100% online, at your own pace. Pass the assessment and your verifiable certificate is emailed instantly.
Frequently asked questions
Can I put a small piece of asbestos cement in my skip?
No. HSE says asbestos-containing materials must be disposed of as hazardous waste, not mixed with household waste, and a general skip is not a lockable asbestos container. Ask your council or a permitted site how to dispose of it.
Can I take asbestos to the tip?
Only if your council’s site accepts it. Some take small household amounts by booking, such as Hertfordshire and Staffordshire, and some take none, such as Nottinghamshire. Check your council’s page first, and expect packaging and quantity rules.
Do I need a consignment note for asbestos from my own home?
Not as a householder dealing with your own asbestos waste: regulation 13(2) of the Hazardous Waste Regulations places no obligations on a domestic occupier. If a contractor does the work, they are treated as the producer and consignor and complete the note.
Does a tradesperson need to be a registered waste carrier to move asbestos waste?
GOV.UK says a business that transports hazardous waste, including its own, must register as a waste carrier. Which tier applies to your jobs is a question for the Environment Agency. Otherwise, use a registered carrier.
What should I do if I find fly-tipped asbestos?
Do not touch it. Report small amounts to your council’s environmental health team, and large or hazardous dumping to the Environment Agency incident hotline on 0800 80 70 60 or anonymously to Crimestoppers.
Does the Nexis asbestos awareness course let me remove or dispose of asbestos?
No. Asbestos Awareness (Category A) is awareness training only. It does not qualify anyone to remove or sample asbestos, carry out licensed or notifiable work, or carry asbestos waste, and it is not a regulated qualification.
General information, not legal advice. This guide reflects HSE guidance, GOV.UK guidance, the Hazardous Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2005, the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and the council and regulator pages named above, as checked on 2 November 2026. HSE’s sheets EM9 and A38 are dated September 2017, council policies change often, and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own rules, so check the current official page before acting. Nexis CPD courses are CPD-accredited awareness training, not regulated qualifications, and they do not qualify anyone to remove, sample or work with asbestos, carry out licensed or notifiable work, or carry asbestos waste.