If you own or are responsible for commercial non-domestic or domestic properties, you are required by law to identify and safely manage any asbestos within your buildings.

To protect human health and the environment, the handling, packaging, transportation and disposal of asbestos must comply with the Health and Safety Authority guidelines for the management of asbestos containing materials.

Gravity are hazardous waste collection permit holders for all counties within the Republic of Ireland and are fully approved, trained and insured to handle, collect and transport all asbestos containing materials in accordance with health, safety and environmental regulations.

We are able to offer the safe collection and disposal of small consignments of asbestos waste materials for domestic customers including the disposal of garage roofing sheets, guttering, flue pipes etc. providing our customers with the confidence that their asbestos waste will be disposed of safely in accordance with relevant legislation. All asbestos removed by us is transported to a European disposal facility in accordance with Transfrontier Shipment of Waste regulations.

Asbestos refers to a set of six naturally occurring fibrous minerals: chrysotile, crocidolite, amosite, anthophyllite, tremolite, and actinolite. Asbestos fibres are microscopic in nature and are extremely durable and resistant to fire and most chemical reactions and breakdowns. These properties of asbestos resulted in it being the material of choice in a variety of products, including, but not limited to, roofing shingles, floor tiles, ceiling materials, cement compounds, textile products, and car parts. The only way to know for sure if a product contains asbestos is to have an asbestos survey completed.

Asbestos is classified as a known human carcinogen. The property of durability—which made asbestos so desirable to manufacturers —is that which makes asbestos so hazardous. Asbestos fibres are microscopic (roughly .02 the diameter of a human hair) and easily inhaled. Once inhaled, the asbestos fibres cling to the respiratory system, including the lining of the lungs and inner cavity tissue. As asbestos fibres are typically quite rigid, they become lodged in the soft internal tissue of the respiratory system and are not easily expelled or broken down by the body.

There are three major lung conditions traced directly to asbestos exposure. These are lung cancer, mesothelioma, and asbestosis. Lung cancer risk, typically associated with tobacco use, is known to be exacerbated by exposure to asbestos. Symptoms include coughing, chest pain, and difficulty breathing.

Mesothelioma is a rare and aggressive cancer of the lung and inner body’s cavity lining—a thin membrane known as the mesothelium. Mesothelioma is typically recognised as the most clearly attributable disease resulting from asbestos exposure. Mesothelioma originates in three locations. Pleural mesothelioma forms in the lining of the lungs and is the most common form of the disease. Peritoneal and pericardial mesothelioma are less common and form in the lining of the abdominal cavity and lining of the heart, respectively. Although the prognosis for this disease is poor, treatment options are available.

Asbestosis is a degenerative and progressive non-malignant, long-term, respiratory condition. Asbestosis results from the formation of scar tissue plaques on the visceral surface of the pleura. Asbestosis can represent a precursor to the onset of mesothelioma.

In short – No. Gravity have a team of asbestos removal operatives based in Dublin every day. The price of asbestos removal in Dublin is the same as any other County in Ireland, with the cost taking into consideration:

• The removal of asbestos by a licensed asbestos removal contractor.
• The removal contractor must be in possession of the correct insurances.
• Notification to the HSA and all associated paperwork if required.
• The completion of an asbestos survey to identify and quantify the asbestos involved.
• Project planning to include a site visit and preparation of a site specific RAMS and all associated site paperwork.
• Provision of plant and specialist asbestos removal equipment.
• Provision of fully trained asbestos removal operatives who have undergone full face fit testing and asbestos specific occupational health medicals.
• All removal works to be performed under the guidance of an experienced asbestos site Supervisor.
• Air monitoring.
• Removal and transportation of the asbestos waste by a hazardous waste collection permit holder.
• Transportation of the asbestos waste to its final destination at a European disposal facility in accordance with Transfrontier Shipment of Waste regulations.
• Provision of a waste transfer form (WTF) to the client confirming the safe and legal removal and disposal of their asbestos.

Due to the serious health implications associated with asbestos, it should always be removed by a reputable, experienced, licensed asbestos removal company such as Gravity.

The improper removal of asbestos could potentially have a catastrophic impact on human health and therefore it is of paramount importance that a reputable, correctly insured and licensed asbestos removal contractor, such as Gravity, is selected for your project. At the very minimum the asbestos removal contractor should be:

• A fully licensed asbestos removal contractor.
• In possession of the correct asbestos removal insurances.
• Liaise with the HSA on the clients behalf, if necessary, and complete all associated paperwork.
• Ensure an asbestos survey is completed on the project prior to commencing any removal works.
• Project planning to include a site visit and preparation of a site specific RAMS and all associated site paperwork.
• Provision of plant and specialist asbestos removal equipment for the project.
• Provision of fully trained asbestos operatives who have undergone full face fit testing and asbestos specific occupational health medicals.
• All removal works to be performed under the guidance of an experienced asbestos removal site Supervisor.
• Air monitoring.
• Removal and transportation of the asbestos waste by a hazardous waste collection permit holder.
• Transportation of the asbestos waste to its final destination at a European disposal facility in accordance with Transfrontier Shipment of Waste regulations.
• Provision of a waste transfer form (WTF) to the client confirming the safe and legal removal and disposal of their asbestos.

In general, removing asbestos containing materials from your home yourself is not recommended. Due to the serious health implications associated with asbestos, there are strict guidelines governing its handling. Those individuals who do not follow these rules are subject to fines and even imprisonment, depending on the extent of the mishandling. The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) has put these guidelines in place to protect not only those who handle asbestos as part of their job, but anyone else who may encounter the material.

The correct removal and disposal of asbestos is a complex procedure. The cost of asbestos removal must provide for a number of factors:

• The removal of asbestos by a licensed asbestos removal contractor.
• The removal contractor must be in possession of the correct insurances.
• Notification to the HSA and all associated paperwork if required.
• The completion of an asbestos survey to identify and quantify the asbestos involved.
• Project planning to include a site visit and preparation of a site specific RAMS and all associated paperwork.
• Provision of plant and specialist asbestos removal equipment.
• Provision of fully trained asbestos operatives who have undergone full face fit testing and asbestos specific occupational health medicals.
• All removal works to be performed under the guidance of an experienced asbestos removal site Supervisor.
• Air monitoring.
• Removal and transportation of the asbestos waste by a hazardous waste collection permit holder.
• Transportation of the asbestos waste to its final destination at a European disposal facility in accordance with Transfrontier Shipment of Waste regulations.
• The provision of a waste transfer form (WTF) to the client confirming the safe and legal removal and disposal of their asbestos.