Changes to the asbestos guide for local government

In September, the LGA went out to the sector to consult on a guide to combat the illegal dumping and improper disposal of asbestos.

Following this consultation, the LGA made a submission to the Federal Government to improve the guide for local councils.

The Asbestos Safety and Eradication Agency have made changes based on the recommendations the LGA put forward.

A summary of the changes made, based on the feedback provided by councils to the LGA, include:

The guide has been split into two parts: the guide and supporting information. The guide now clearly outlines the obligations councils to have asbestos management and gives advice on how councils can deliver their obligations.

It also clearly indicates the importance of engaging licensed asbestos professionals in each of the three asbestos waste journey zones: awareness, removal, and disposal.

The sustainability and resourcing for programs has been recognised as a significant challenge for councils. The Principles for Developing Actions (in the guide) and the Strategy Design Process (in the supporting information) provide suggestions for addressing these challenges.

The guide is now more accessible and has a clear call to action – to take action to address illegal disposal of asbestos. Councils are also encouraged to link to asbestos.sa.gov.au as the single-source for the most up-to-date information.

The benefits of collaboration have also been made clearer by the inclusion of more case studies to help encourage more knowledge sharing and setting out clear demonstrable paths of action.

The guide and its supporting information are now available online: Action on illegal disposal of asbestos: A Guide for Local Government

The documents are intended to help councils consider new ideas and explore opportunities to help combat the illegal disposal of asbestos.

The Asbestos Safety and Eradication Agency intend to update these resources as new actions, innovations, and best practice examples arise.