NSW Fair Trading have provided information on loose fill asbestos insulation (LFAI), their LFAI register and their Voluntary Purchase and Demolition Program for the community.
The NSW Fair Trading website states that loose fill asbestos is “raw crushed asbestos, which in the 1960s and 70s, was installed as ceiling insulation in an unknown number of NSW homes.”
The website also states that the NSW Government and a range of asbestos experts have determined that “demolition, comprehensive site remediation, and disposal are the best ways to ensure the health and safety of the NSW community.”
The website also states that under the Home Building Act 1989, the NSW Government is “required to maintain a register of residential properties that contain loose fill asbestos insulation” (the LFAI register) “to enable emergency services, tradespeople, Councils and the community to check whether a particular property is affected.”
NSW Fair Trading have provided a variety of extensive online resources for the community on their website. These resources include: information on property testing, information for the community, information for residents in affected properties, information for owners of strata premises, information on new laws regarding loose fill asbestos, resources for licensed asbestos assessors, and information on the Voluntary Purchase and Demolition Program.
The Voluntary Purchase and Demolition Program provides property owners with two options. The first option is selling their property to the NSW Government and having it demolished and the land sold. The second option is retaining the land with the NSW Government just purchasing the premises, demolishing it and remediating the land with the availability to rebuild.
The information on property testing specifically focuses on frequently asked questions (FAQs) for residents, current property testing results, and property testing time frames by Local Government Associations (LGAs).
The information for the community specifically focuses on the public register of affected properties, the 250 free tests that are being offered in Tamworth, FAQs on demolition waste disposal, the protocols for displaying mandatory warning signs, FAQs on health and safety, FAQs for employees working in affected homes, and FAQs on demolition for neighbours.
The information for residents in affected properties specifically focuses on the financial and legal assistance available for owners and tenants, the valuation and purchase processes, the demolition and remediation process, FAQs on living in and renting an affected home, advice on removing household contents, and making appeals, feedback and/or complaints on the Program.
The information for owners of strata premises specifically focuses on the financial assistance that may be available to them, how they can arrange for loose fill asbestos testing, and the implications if loose fill asbestos is found in their lot. The information on new laws regarding loose fill asbestos specifically focuses on how the LFAI register is included in various Acts, which include the: Home Building Act 1989, Conveyancing Act 1919, Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation Act 2000, Residential Tenancies Regulations 2010, and the Property, Stock and Business Agents Act 2002.
The resources for licensed asbestos assessors include management plans, alerts, checklists, programs, registers and a list of apps and websites.
NSW Fair Trading’s resources and information on loose fill asbestos, including but not limited to the LFAI register, can be found here.
Image provided courtesy of NSW Fair Trading.