Asbestos Removal Guide

When is asbestos removal required?

Not every asbestos-containing material needs to be removed. Material in good condition that will not be disturbed can be managed in place under an asbestos register and management plan, with regular condition reviews and controls to prevent accidental disturbance.

Removal is required when planned works will cut, drill, break or otherwise disturb the material. The How to Safely Remove Asbestos Code of Practice 2021 (Qld) requires asbestos to be identified and removed before any work that will disturb it.

Removal is also recommended when material is damaged or deteriorating and may release fibres during normal use, when it is in a location where it poses an ongoing exposure risk, or when a regulatory notice has been issued requiring its removal.

A licensed asbestos assessor can inspect the material and advise on the appropriate pathway.

Licence classes for asbestos removal in Queensland

Asbestos removal licences are issued to the person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU). The licence class required depends on the type of asbestos being removed.

Class A: friable asbestos

A Class A licence is required to remove any quantity of friable asbestos. There is no minimum threshold. Any amount of friable material requires Class A licensing, a sealed negative pressure enclosure, mandatory air monitoring and independent clearance. A Class A licence also authorises the holder to carry out bonded removal.

Friable removal requires a sealed enclosure under negative air pressure with HEPA filtration and independent clearance.

Class B: bonded asbestos

A Class B licence is required to remove more than 10 square metres of bonded (non-friable) asbestos. Bonded asbestos is material where the fibres are firmly bound into a solid matrix, typically fibre-cement sheeting, roofing, eaves and cladding. A Class B licence does not authorise the removal of friable asbestos.

Bonded removal uses wet methods and hand tools to keep the material intact and minimise fibre release.

What happens before removal starts

Several steps must be completed before any asbestos is disturbed. These are regulatory requirements under the WHS Regulation 2011 (Qld).

Notification to WHSQ

The removalist lodges a notification with Workplace Health and Safety Queensland before licensed removal begins. For friable asbestos, the notification must be lodged at least five business days before work starts. For bonded asbestos, it is lodged before work commences. The notification includes details of the site, the type and quantity of asbestos being removed, the removal method, the scheduled dates and the identity of the licensed removalist. The regulator may inspect the work at any time.

Asbestos Removal Control Plan

The removalist prepares a site-specific Asbestos Removal Control Plan (ARCP) before work begins. The ARCP sets out the scope, control measures, barricading, signage, containment, wetting, decontamination procedures, waste handling, air monitoring arrangements and emergency procedures. A site-specific Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) is also prepared. Both documents are kept on site during the work and can be reviewed by the regulator, the client or the principal contractor.

Preparing the property

For residential properties, clear or cover personal belongings, furniture and household items in or near the work area. The removalist will establish an exclusion zone, but clearing the space beforehand reduces preparation time and protects your belongings.

For commercial and construction sites, confirm that the work area is vacated, that other trades are clear of the exclusion zone and that the principal contractor has coordinated access, services isolation and programme implications with the removal team.

How the removal process works

The process differs significantly between bonded and friable asbestos. Both follow the How to Safely Remove Asbestos Code of Practice 2021 (Qld), but friable removal requires substantially more equipment, personnel and verification steps.

Bonded removal

The work area is barricaded, asbestos warning signage is displayed and an exclusion zone is established. Workers wear half-face respirators fitted with P2 or P3 particulate filters and disposable coveralls.

The removalist dampens the material with a low-pressure water spray to suppress dust and fibre release, then removes it using hand tools. No power tools, abrasive cutting or high-pressure water is permitted on asbestos materials. These methods generate large quantities of airborne fibres and are prohibited under the Code of Practice. The objective is to remove the material intact, because breaking bonded material releases significantly more fibres and can cause it to be reclassified as friable.

Once removal is complete, the work area and all surfaces within the exclusion zone are thoroughly cleaned using wet methods and HEPA-filtered vacuum. Personnel and equipment are decontaminated before leaving the work area. Waste is double-wrapped, labelled and removed for disposal.

The work area is barricaded and signed before bonded removal begins. Material is dampened and removed intact using hand tools.

Friable removal

Friable removal involves a higher level of control at every stage.

Nominated supervisor. Class A removal must be directly supervised by a nominated supervisor who is named on the removal licence. In Queensland, the nominated supervisor must be at least 18 years of age, hold certification in both CPCCDE3015A (Remove friable asbestos) and CPCCDE4008 (Supervise asbestos removal) and have at least three years of relevant industry experience following completion of those qualifications. The nominated supervisor must be physically present at the removal area whenever Class A work is being carried out.

Enclosure. A sealed enclosure is constructed around the work area using heavy-duty plastic sheeting. In the industry this is commonly referred to as a bubble. Before any asbestos is disturbed, the enclosure is smoke tested. A smoke machine is used inside the enclosure and the outside is inspected for any leaks, gaps or breaches. Any defects must be repaired and the test repeated until the enclosure holds its integrity. Work cannot begin until the smoke test is passed.

Negative air pressure. The enclosure is placed under negative air pressure using HEPA-filtered negative air units that continuously draw air out through high-efficiency filters. This means the air pressure inside the enclosure is lower than outside, so if any breach occurs, air flows inward rather than outward. This prevents fibres from escaping the work area. The negative air units run continuously throughout the removal and are not switched off until clearance is complete.

Respiratory protection. Workers inside the enclosure wear full-face powered air-purifying respirators (PAPRs). These supply filtered air at positive pressure inside the mask, which means the air the worker breathes is at a higher pressure than the surrounding air inside the enclosure. This creates two independent barriers between the worker’s airway and any airborne fibres: positive pressure in the mask and negative pressure in the enclosure.

Three-stage decontamination. A three-stage decontamination unit is attached to the enclosure and serves as the only entry and exit point. The three stages are a dirty room (where contaminated disposable coveralls and PPE are removed), a shower room (where personnel wash down to remove residual fibres from skin and hair) and a clean room (where clean clothing is put on before exiting). Every person and every piece of equipment passes through this system.

Water management. Water used during friable removal for wetting material, suppressing dust and showering in the decontamination unit is captured and filtered before disposal. The filtration system removes asbestos fibres and particulate from the water before it is discharged, preventing contaminated water from entering stormwater systems or the surrounding environment.

Air monitoring. A licensed asbestos assessor who is not involved in the removal or in a business involved in the removal monitors airborne fibre concentrations throughout the work. Monitoring is conducted at the enclosure boundary and, where required, in surrounding occupied areas. Results are assessed against the Class A control action levels: results of 0.01–0.02 fibres/mL require immediate investigation and additional controls, and results above 0.02 fibres/mL require the work to stop and the regulator to be notified. Work cannot resume until monitoring shows levels below 0.01 fibres/mL.

The removal itself is carried out using hand tools and wet methods. Once all identified friable material has been removed, the interior of the enclosure is cleaned, all surfaces wiped down, HEPA-vacuumed and visually inspected before the independent clearance inspection.

The enclosure is smoke tested before work begins, held under continuous negative air pressure and accessed only through a three-stage decontamination unit.

Face-fit testing and health monitoring

All workers involved in asbestos removal must have a current respirator face-fit test. A face-fit test confirms that the respirator forms a proper seal against the wearer’s face and is providing the intended level of protection. A poorly fitting respirator can allow fibres to bypass the seal regardless of its filter rating. Face-fit testing must be completed before a worker carries out removal work and repeated when the respirator type changes or when factors affecting the fit occur.

Workers carrying out licensed asbestos removal must also undergo asbestos health monitoring. Initial health monitoring is required before the worker starts licensed removal work. Ongoing monitoring is carried out at regular intervals as recommended by the supervising medical practitioner, who assesses the worker’s respiratory health through a questionnaire, lung function testing and, where clinically indicated, chest imaging. Health monitoring records must be retained for at least 40 years.

Clearance and reoccupation

No area should be reoccupied or handed over to other trades until clearance is complete. The clearance process confirms that all identified asbestos has been removed and the area is safe for normal use.

For bonded removal, a visual clearance inspection is carried out by a competent person to confirm that all material within the removal scope has been removed and the area is clean.

For friable removal, a licensed asbestos assessor not involved in the removal or in a business involved in the removal carries out a detailed visual inspection and collects clearance air samples inside the enclosure. The air samples are analysed to confirm that airborne fibre levels are below the clearance level of 0.01 fibres per millilitre of air. This independence is required under Sections 473 to 475 of the WHS Regulation 2011 (Qld).

Once the clearance inspection and air monitoring results are satisfactory, a clearance certificate is issued confirming the area is suitable for reoccupation. The enclosure is then dismantled and the area is released.

Waste disposal and tracking

Asbestos waste is classified as regulated waste under Schedule 9 of the Environmental Protection Regulation 2019 (Qld) and must be handled, transported and disposed of through approved pathways.

All asbestos waste is double-wrapped or double-bagged on site, clearly labelled with asbestos warning labels and sealed before it leaves the work area. It is transported by a carrier holding an Environmental Authority for Environmentally Relevant Activity ERA 57 (Regulated Waste Transport) to a facility licensed to accept asbestos waste.

A Waste Tracking Certificate is generated for each consignment, recording the waste source, type, transport details and receival facility. These certificates are part of the project’s closeout documentation.

Not all removal contractors hold an Environmental Authority for waste transport. If the removalist does not hold the authority, a separate licensed carrier must be engaged. Transporting regulated waste without the required authority is an offence under the Environmental Protection Act 1994 (Qld).

What documentation you should receive

At the completion of an asbestos removal project, you should receive documentation that provides a complete record of the work. The specific documents depend on the scope, but a complete set typically includes:

• Asbestos Removal Control Plan The site-specific plan prepared before work began, setting out the scope, controls, decontamination procedures and emergency arrangements.
• Safe Work Method Statement The activity-specific safety document for the removal work.
• Notification confirmation Confirmation that Workplace Health and Safety Queensland was notified before licensed removal commenced.
• Clearance certificate Issued by a licensed asbestos assessor (independent of the removalist and of any business involved in the removal for friable work) confirming the area is suitable for reoccupation.
• Air monitoring results Where monitoring was conducted, the report documenting fibre levels during and after removal, assessed against the relevant exposure and clearance standards.
• Waste Tracking Certificates Records documenting the transport and disposal of regulated waste from the site to the licensed receival facility.
• Disposal dockets Confirmation from the receival facility that the waste was accepted.

Retain these records for the life of the property. They demonstrate that asbestos was identified, removed and disposed of through compliant pathways. This matters for future property transactions, development applications, compliance audits and insurance.

Encapsulation versus removal

Encapsulation involves sealing an asbestos-containing material to prevent fibre release rather than removing it. It is sometimes used as a short-term measure to stabilise material while removal is planned, or where removal is not immediately practical.

Encapsulation does not eliminate the asbestos. The material remains in the building, must continue to be managed under the asbestos register and management plan, and will still need to be removed if the building is renovated, demolished or if the encapsulation deteriorates. Where planned works will disturb the material, removal is the appropriate pathway.

Choosing an asbestos removalist

Licensing

Confirm the removalist holds the correct licence class. Class A for friable, Class B for more than 10 m² of bonded. A Class A licence also authorises bonded removal. Licence details can be verified through the WorkSafe Queensland licence search.

Insurance

Request current certificates of currency for public liability insurance and workers’ compensation before engaging.

Environmental Authority

If the removalist is also transporting waste, they must hold an Environmental Authority for ERA 57. If they do not, a separate licensed carrier must be arranged. Clarify how waste transport and disposal will be handled before work begins.

Independence of assessment and clearance

For friable removal, clearance must be carried out by a licensed asbestos assessor independent of the removalist and of any business involved in the removal. Even for bonded work, independent clearance removes conflict-of-interest risk and produces more defensible documentation. Ask how the removalist handles the clearance process and whether the assessor is genuinely independent.

Documentation

Ask what documentation you will receive at the end of the project. A removalist who cannot clearly describe the package (ARCP, clearance certificate, waste tracking, disposal records) may not be providing a complete or compliant service.

How much does asbestos removal cost?

Cost depends on the type of asbestos (bonded or friable), the quantity and location of the material, the accessibility of the work area, whether air monitoring and independent clearance are required, and the waste disposal pathway. Friable removal is significantly more expensive than bonded removal because of the enclosure, negative pressure equipment, decontamination, mandatory air monitoring and independent clearance.

A detailed guide to typical costs is available on our cost guide page.

Legislation and standards

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld) The overarching workplace health and safety legislation.
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld) Specific requirements for asbestos removal, licensing, notifications, supervision, clearance and health monitoring.
• How to Safely Remove Asbestos Code of Practice 2021 (Qld) Practical guidance on removal methods, controls, enclosures, decontamination, waste handling and clearance.
• How to Manage and Control Asbestos in the Workplace Code of Practice 2021 (Qld) Guidance on identifying and managing asbestos, including the framework for deciding between removal and management in place.
• Environmental Protection Act 1994 (Qld) Governs the handling, transport and disposal of regulated waste including asbestos.
• Environmental Protection Regulation 2019 (Qld) Classifies asbestos as regulated waste under Schedule 9 and sets out waste tracking requirements.

Frequently asked questions