Asbestos is still present in many homes and commercial buildings constructed before 2001: in corrugated sheets, roofing slates, floor tiles, insulation around pipes, or old flower boxes. We regularly encounter it during building clearances. In this article, you’ll learn about the current regulations in Flanders, what you’re allowed to do yourself, and when a certified asbestos removal contractor is required.
Good to know: JunkBrothers does not remove asbestos itself. We provide advice, refer you to certified asbestos removal contractors, and clear out the rest of the property so that the asbestos removal work can proceed smoothly.
1. The Asbestos Certificate: When Is It Required?
The asbestos report is an inventory of all asbestos-containing materials in a building. A certified asbestos expert prepares it and registers it with OVAM. There are two important deadlines:
- Upon sale: As of November 23, 2022, you need an asbestos certificate if you are selling a home or building constructed before 2001.
- By 2032: Every owner of a building constructed before 2001 must have an asbestos certificate, even if you are not selling the property.
You can find the current rules at OVAM. Are you clearing out a home in preparation for a sale? If so, it’s best to have the asbestos report prepared before the cleanup, so that everyone knows where the asbestos is located.
2. What are you, as a private individual, allowed to dispose of yourself?
According to OVAM, as a private individual, you may remove certain asbestos-containing materials yourself, provided you follow simple procedures and use the necessary protective equipment:
- Inside: bonded asbestos that is undamaged and remains intact during removal.
- Outside: Bonded asbestos, even if it is damaged, provided that no one is nearby and you do not cause further damage to the material.
- Small parts: cords, seals, gaskets, and brake linings containing asbestos.
Never break, saw, or sand asbestos. Pack the waste in an airtight container—for example, in a double clear plastic bag or in asbestos-proof plastic sheeting—and take it to the recycling center. Check in advance to see how your recycling center accepts asbestos. All details are available from OVAM: Who is allowed to delete what? and Disposing of asbestos waste.
3. When is it mandatory to use a certified asbestos removal contractor?
You must not remove high-risk applications yourself. Examples include:
- sprayed asbestos;
- insulation around pipes;
- asbestos-containing plaster;
- a layer of adhesive containing asbestos on the screed.
This work is performed by a certified asbestos removal contractor, usually in a hermetic zone: The space is sealed airtight and placed under negative pressure. For insulation around a single, easily accessible pipe, the installer can sometimes use the incubator bag method Use a sealed bag around the pipe. If you're unsure whether something contains asbestos, have it tested first.
4. Stricter Standards and the Asbestos Phase-Out Policy
The regulations are becoming stricter. A 2023 European directive lowers the occupational exposure limit to 0.01 asbestos fiber per cm³ and will introduce an even more precise measurement method by the end of 2029. Flanders aims to have all asbestos-cement removed from buildings by 2034 and to be asbestos-free by 2040. For public buildings, these deadlines are legally mandated; for private owners, they are targets.
Would you like to have asbestos removed? Many municipalities and intermunicipal associations assist private individuals, for example, by picking up asbestos-cement materials from their homes. You can find an overview on the OVAM page about Support for Individuals.
5. Why Caution Is Necessary
Asbestos fibers are invisible and can penetrate deep into the lungs. Diseases such as asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma often do not develop until decades after exposure. Therefore, follow these guidelines: do not break, do not sand, do not use a pressure washer, and if in doubt, have it inspected first.
6. Asbestos and an Evacuation: Here’s How We Handle It
If we come across materials that may contain asbestos during a clearance operation, we leave them where they are and do not continue working in that area. We do not remove asbestos. In practice, this is how it works:
- Inventory: An asbestos expert identifies where asbestos is located. You'll need that certificate when you sell the property, after all.
- Removal: A certified asbestos removal contractor will remove the hazardous asbestos. We would be happy to put you in touch with a certified partner.
- Eviction: We'll clear out the rest of the house, basement, or attic and dispose of everything properly.
For more information, please see our Asbestos Guide. Does the entire building need to be vacated, for example, for a sale or renovation? Then check out our house clearance or corporate clearance.
Checklist: Asbestos During an Evacuation or Renovation
- ☐ Year of construction checked: if built before 2001, asbestos may be present
- ☐ Asbestos certificate available or requested
- ☐ Nothing broken, cut, or sanded
- ☐ I disposed of only what OVAM allows, properly packaged
- ☐ Have high-risk applications removed by a certified company
- ☐ Do not have the rest of the household goods removed until after the asbestos work is completed
Clearing out a home that contains asbestos?
We provide advice, put you in touch with a certified asbestos removal contractor, and clear out the rest of the building. You’ll receive a fixed price upfront.
Request advice or a quotePrefer to call? Give us a call at +32 469 63 55 62.
