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FAQS · NON-LICENSED MATERIALS
Is asbestos cement dangerous and can it be removed without a licence?.
Asbestos cement is the most widespread asbestos material in the UK: corrugated roof sheets on garages and industrial buildings, flat wall panels, soffits, gutters, downpipes, flues and water tanks. It typically contains 10–15% chrysotile (white) asbestos locked in a hard cement matrix.
Because the fibres are firmly bonded, asbestos cement in good condition releases very few fibres — which is why it is classed as lower risk and its removal is normally non-licensed work.
Written by the Innov8 UK Group asbestos team · Technically reviewed by our Contracts Director · Last reviewed July 2026
CEMENT
Lower risk is not no risk
The danger comes from breaking, cutting, drilling or power-washing the material — all of which release fibres. Weathered or damaged sheets, and the debris that collects beneath old roofs, need more care. Never use abrasive tools or pressure washers on asbestos cement, and never walk on an asbestos cement roof: sheets are fragile and falls through them kill people every year.
What non-licensed removal involves
Removal without a licence still has legal requirements: trained operatives, a risk assessment and method statement, dampening the material, removing sheets whole without breaking them, and double-bagging or wrapping waste in 1000-gauge polythene. Waste must go to a licensed facility with a hazardous waste consignment note — not into a skip or the local tip's general waste.
When we would recommend a professional
For anything beyond a couple of garden-shed sheets, professional removal is the sensible route: correct handling, RPE, insured working at height, and a fully documented disposal trail. We remove asbestos cement roofs from single garages up to industrial units of thousands of square metres.
Check before you assume
Modern fibre-cement products look almost identical to asbestos cement. If your building predates 2000, have a sample tested before any work — it is quick and inexpensive, and turns guesswork into a plan.
