Testing for household asbestos

Richmond Valley Council is assisting households undertaking renovations by making available a free service to householders to determine whether materials in their home contain asbestos.

Residents can obtain a free sampling kit that allows samples to be sent to a laboratory for assessing whether asbestos is present or not, all at no charge to the resident.

The kits contain sample bags, a dust mask, a pre-paid courier satchel and instructions to guide the householder through the safe sampling of materials in their home and packaging samples up for laboratory analysis.

Once samples are packaged up inside the courier satchel the satchels can be handed over at either the Casino Administration Office or the Fastway Courier depot at Goonellabah.

Kits can be obtained at no charge over the counter at the Council’s Administration Offices at Casino and Evans Head.

Householders’ asbestos disposal scheme

Richmond Valley Council, in collaboration with NEWaste, has a Householders’ Asbestos Disposal Scheme (HADS) to help reduce disposal costs for asbestos by up to 30 percent.

Householders disposing of less than 10 square metres of asbestos waste are able to purchase a Household Asbestos Disposal Kit for $75. The kits include a safety gear bag and instructions for how to remove asbestos safely in your home.  Kits can be purchased from Council’s Administration Offices at Casino and Evans Head or at Nammoona Waste and Resource Recovery Facility.

Asbestos can be disposed of at Nammoona Waste and Resource Recovery Facility. Prior to disposal at Nammoona, a minimum of 24 hours’ notice is required to prepare the site. To notify please call 6662-6580 a minimal of 24 hours prior to the day you wish to dispose of the asbestos waste.

For more information on the HADS go to the NEWaste website or contact Council’s Customer Service Centre on 02 6660 0300.