Asbestos cement
Garage and shed roofs, wall cladding, gutters, downpipes, flues, water tanks.
What to look out for and what to do
Identifying Asbestos and Staying Safe
Any building built or refurbished before 2000 may contain asbestos. You can't tell by looking, so here's where it tends to be and how to avoid disturbing it.
You can't identify asbestos by eye
Asbestos is usually mixed with other materials, and many asbestos products look the same as asbestos-free ones. HSE says the only way to confirm whether a material contains asbestos is to have a sample analysed by an accredited laboratory. Until then, treat a suspect material as if it does contain asbestos.
Asbestos in good condition that is not going to be disturbed is often best left where it is and checked from time to time. It becomes a risk when it is damaged or worked on and fibres get into the air. Tell any builder or tradesperson about suspect materials before they start work.
Planning work that will disturb the building fabric, such as removing a ceiling, a wall or old floor tiles? Find out first. A surveyor can take samples or carry out a refurbishment survey of the areas involved.
If you think you've disturbed asbestos
- Stop what you are doing straight away.
- Keep other people and pets out of the area and close the door if you can.
- Don't sweep, dust or use an ordinary vacuum cleaner on debris. That spreads fibres.
- Put dusty clothing in a sealed plastic bag rather than shaking it out.
- Don't try to clean up or remove it yourself unless you have had training for non-licensed asbestos work. Damaged lagging, sprayed coatings or large amounts of insulating board must be cleaned up by an HSE-licensed contractor.
- Get the material assessed. Your council's environmental health team can advise, and a surveyor can sample it.
- If you are worried about your health, speak to your GP and ask them to note the possible exposure on your record.
HSE notes that many short, accidental exposures are likely to have involved very few fibres and carry little likelihood of long-term harm.
Common materials
Where asbestos may be found
Based on HSE's guidance on where asbestos can still be found in buildings.
Textured decorative coatings
Ceilings and walls, often called Artex.
Asbestos insulating board (AIB)
Ceiling tiles, partition walls, soffits, panels around windows, fire doors. It can look like plasterboard.
Floor tiles and coverings
Vinyl or thermoplastic tiles and their adhesive, sometimes hidden under carpet.
Lagging and insulation
On pipes, boilers and old heaters.
Other items
Toilet cisterns, rope seals and gaskets, loose fill in ceiling or wall cavities, sprayed coatings (more common in non-domestic buildings).
See photos in HSE's locations of asbestos guide and its interactive diagrams.
Who can work on it
- Licensed contractors only: sprayed coatings, lagging and insulation, and most work on asbestos insulating board.
- Trained workers without a licence: most work on lower-risk materials such as asbestos cement, textured coatings and floor tiles, following HSE's Asbestos essentials task sheets. Some of this work must be notified in advance.
- Homeowners: HSE advises not to repair or remove asbestos yourself without training, and strongly encourages using trained professionals.
Asbestos waste is hazardous waste and must not go in your household bin. Your council can tell you how to dispose of it locally: asbestos in your home on GOV.UK (England and Wales).
Sources: HSE asbestos FAQs, HSE EM1: if you discover or accidentally disturb asbestos, HSE: arrange an asbestos survey. Last reviewed September 2026.
More asbestos guidance
What is asbestos?Types of asbestos and where it was used in UK buildingsIdentifying asbestos and staying safeWhy you can't tell by looking, and what to do if something is damagedAsbestos health risksThe diseases asbestos can cause and when to speak to a doctorAsbestos surveysManagement and refurbishment and demolition surveys explainedTesting and samplingHow samples are taken and analysedProfessional removalLicensed and non-licensed work, and what to expect
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