Asbestos: Be alert

THE clean-up after the floods is continuing and Cardinia Shire Council is reminding residents and business operators to be safe if working with asbestos.
Asbestos cement products may be present in the buildings built until the late 1980s, in materials such as vinyl floor tiles, cement roof sheeting and wall lining.
The material isn’t risky unless it has been damaged or has deteriorated, which could have happened during recent flooding or clean-up activities.
The council’s chief environmental health officer, Sean La Fontaine, said if residents or business operators were handling materials that might contain asbestos, they needed to take precautions to protect themselves and those around them.
“If you aren’t sure whether your home or workplace contains asbestos, you should treat it as if it does,” he said.