What The HSE’s Latest Campaign ‘Asbestos: Your Duty’ Means for You

Adam Fox • 16 January 2024

Those responsible for buildings must carry out necessary checks and fully comprehend their legal obligations

Asbestos, a dangerous material widely used in construction before its ban in 1999, continues to pose a threat in buildings built before 2000. To address this issue and protect people from the harmful effects of asbestos, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has launched a new campaign called "Asbestos: Your Duty." Launched on January 15th 2024, this campaign aims to raise awareness of the legal duty to manage asbestos and emphasizes the need for effective management to prevent exposure in workplaces, schools, hospitals, and other buildings that people use in their daily lives.


Understanding the Legal Duty to Manage Asbestos


The legal duty to manage asbestos encompasses a wide range of buildings, including museums, schools, hospitals, places of worship, offices, and factories. The regulations also cover work undertaken within domestic premises by tradespeople, who must be able to demonstrate that a suitable assessment has been undertaken to identify any asbestos containing materials prior to any intrusive work being undertaken. It is especially crucial for premises constructed between 1950 and 1980, when asbestos use was at its peak. Under regulation 4 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, those responsible for these buildings must carry out necessary checks and fully comprehend their legal obligations.


When asbestos is properly contained, visitors and workers in these buildings are not exposed to its dangers. However, when disturbed or damaged, asbestos can become hazardous. Therefore, it is essential for businesses and organisations to ensure they have robust arrangements in place to manage asbestos risks effectively.


HSE's Campaign: Asbestos: Your Duty


The HSE's campaign, Asbestos: Your Duty, seeks to promote a culture of safely managing asbestos in the building industry and among those responsible for buildings. It aims to reduce work-related ill health caused by asbestos exposure, which remains the leading cause of work-related deaths in Great Britain, despite the prohibition being in place for nearly quarter of a century.


As part of the campaign, the HSE provides updated information and explanatory videos on its website. These resources serve to assist anyone unsure of their legal duties or in need of refreshing their knowledge on managing asbestos.


The Importance of Compliance and Enforcement


To ensure compliance with the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, the HSE conducts routine inspections in various buildings, such as schools, factories, and hospitals. During these inspections, the HSE assesses policies, procedures and actual practices on site. With the new campaign, a clear focus on how asbestos is managed will be at the forefront of these visits and enforcement officers will expect those responsible for managing asbestos within buildings to have appropriate arrangements in place.


Non-compliance can result in enforcement actions, including fee for intervention, improvement notices, prohibition notices, and in severe cases, prosecution. Therefore, it is crucial for organisations to prioritise compliance and take proactive measures to manage the risks posed by asbestos-containing materials.


Consulo Compliance: Your Partner in Asbestos Management


Managing asbestos risks and maintaining compliance with the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 may seem daunting, but it doesn't have to be. Consulo Compliance is here to help. We specialise in assisting clients in developing bespoke, robust asbestos management plans and ensuring ongoing compliance with the regulations.


Our team of experts can guide you through the process, ensuring that your key personnel receive suitable training in asbestos awareness. We will work with you to create a comprehensive asbestos management plan and ensure your asbestos register is up to date. Additionally, we can help you effectively manage contractors working on your site, minimising the risk of exposure for your employees.


The Cost of Non-Compliance and the Benefits of Compliance


Becoming compliant with asbestos management regulations is not as costly as you might think. Moreover, once you achieve compliance, maintaining it becomes relatively easy. With our assistance, you could be fully compliant in as little as 10 days.


Non-compliance, on the other hand, can lead to serious consequences, both in terms of financial penalties and, more importantly, the health and safety of your employees. The HSE's increased focus on managing asbestos risks means that companies failing to manage the risk robustly are likely to face enforcement actions.


Conclusion


The HSE's campaign, Asbestos: Your Duty, underscores the importance of effectively managing asbestos risks in buildings constructed before 2000. Compliance with the legal duty to manage asbestos is crucial for ensuring the safety of those who live, work, or visit these buildings.


Consulo Compliance is here to support you in developing a robust asbestos management plan and maintaining compliance with the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012.


Don't wait until enforcement actions are taken, Act now to protect your employees and ensure a safe environment for all.

Contact Now
by Adam Fox 9 April 2025
Asbestos and the Circular Economy: Why It's Time to Stop Burying the Problem Twenty-five years after asbestos was banned in the UK, we’re still digging a hole—literally and metaphorically. Every day, across the country, asbestos waste is double-bagged, labelled, loaded into skips, and driven to landfill, where it will sit indefinitely, taking up valuable space, creating ongoing liability, and adding to our already bloated environmental burden. And yet, 2025 presents a different path. A smarter one. One that replaces disposal with repurposing, and turns a dangerous waste product into a useful, circular resource. The technology exists. So the question we should be asking isn’t “Can we recycle asbestos?” It’s “Why the hell aren’t we doing it already?” Landfill is Failing Us—But We’re Still Relying On It Let’s start with the basics. There are still over 1.5 million buildings in the UK that contain asbestos, most of them now approaching the end of their useful life. As these structures age or undergo refurbishment, the volume of asbestos waste is only going to increase. Right now, we handle that waste the same way we did decades ago: • Identify it • Remove it (usually under fully controlled conditions) • Seal it in heavy-duty plastic • Drive it to landfill • Bury it • Forget about it Except we don’t forget, do we? Because landfill space is running out. Disposal costs are going up. And the environmental cost? We’re only just starting to count it. There’s a Better Way—and It Already Works Here’s what most duty holders don’t realise: We no longer have to bury asbestos. Thanks to recent advances in thermal treatment technology, we now have a method that can safely denature asbestos, breaking down its fibrous structure and rendering it harmless. Companies like Thermal Recycling in the UK are already proving this is not science fiction. They’re using high temperatures to transform asbestos cement products—like corrugated roofing sheets—into an inert ceramic material that’s completely safe. But here's the best bit: That material isn’t just neutral. It’s useful. It can be crushed and graded into aggregate, which can be used in road construction, paving, and concrete mixes. Instead of creating a waste burden for the next generation, we’re creating a valuable, low-carbon building material. Why Aggregate Matters in the Carbon Equation The production of virgin aggregates—through mining and quarrying—is energy-intensive and environmentally damaging. It contributes significantly to CO₂ emissions and destroys natural landscapes. So by replacing some of that demand with recycled aggregate from denatured asbestos, we: • Cut carbon emissions • Reduce dependence on extraction • Shrink the environmental footprint of infrastructure projects • Extend the life of quarries and reduce waste tonnage That’s not just a win for waste management. That’s a win for the entire construction supply chain. And yet most people in the industry don’t even know it’s possible. Why Are We Still Burying What Could Be Reused? As someone who’s worked in asbestos compliance for over 20 years—and now helps business leaders manage risk more intelligently—I’ve seen the same patterns play out time and time again: • “We’ll just do what we’ve always done.” • “This project’s tight on budget—landfill’s cheaper, right?” • “We’re just following the usual route—it’s less risky.” Let’s be honest. That mindset is outdated, short-sighted, and lazy. Cost may always be a factor, but the belief that landfill is “cheaper” needs to be challenged. Once you factor in: • Long-term environmental costs • Reputational risk • Rising disposal fees • And the public pressure for sustainable practices Thermal recycling is already starting to make sense. Especially when the output is something usable, not something buried. Licensed Contractors: You Don’t Get a Free Pass Either This isn’t just about clients or duty holders. Licensed Asbestos Removal Contractors (LARC’s) have a moral obligation here too. And I say that not from a place of opinion—but from first-hand experience, day in and day out for over two decades. Too often, LARCs put profits over progress. They default to landfill because it’s faster, easier to price up, and keeps their margins clean. They know the alternatives exist—but they don’t explore them, let alone offer them to their clients. When you hold a licence from the HSE, you’re not just a business—you’re a guardian of public health. That comes with responsibility. Choosing the most sustainable, forward-thinking disposal route should be part of that. Especially when the technology is available, proven, and legal. It’s time for the industry to stop hiding behind what’s convenient and start leading from the front. A Moral Obligation for Everyone Involved Whether you’re a: • Local authority managing public buildings • Developer under pressure to go green • Commercial landlord looking to reduce liability • Or a licensed contractor with influence over disposal routes —you have a responsibility to look beyond the cheapest or fastest option. If there’s a proven, safe, and more sustainable way to manage asbestos, you have a duty to understand it before choosing to ignore it. Because let’s be honest: “We didn’t know” isn’t going to wash when the public starts asking why we’re still filling landfill sites with a problem we already have the technology to eliminate. So What Can You Do Differently? No one’s asking you to overhaul your entire waste strategy overnight. But you can—and should—start asking better questions: • “Is landfill our only option here?” • “Could this waste stream be recycled instead of buried?” • “What suppliers, contractors, or experts do we know who can help us explore this?” You don’t have to be a global pioneer. But if you’re in a position of responsibility, you should at least be aware that the old way isn’t the only way anymore. Final Thought: The Future Is Circular—Whether You Join In or Not Asbestos will be with us for decades to come. That’s a fact. But how we handle it—and whether we choose to keep repeating the past or do something smarter—is up to us. Thermal recycling and other denaturing technologies offer a rare opportunity to do something that actually moves the industry forward. Not just ticking the compliance box. Not just burying the problem. But solving it—and turning it into something useful in the process. If you’re involved in asbestos management in even the slightest way, ask yourself this: Are you part of the problem, or part of the solution?
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