Water supply pipelines installed throughout Western Australia in the 1960s and 1970s were coated in a bituminous material containing asbestos and other contaminants. In 2016, Western Australia Water Corporation launched a project to collect, treat and dispose of significant quantities of the asbestos coal tar coated pipes and manage impacts from the pipes that had been removed from the network and stored throughout the State.

As asbestos cement roofs deteriorate, they release asbestos fibres into the environment. Asbestos cement roofs can cause considerable contamination as a result of fires, non-compliant removal practices, and illegal dumping. This case study investigated the barriers to the safe removal of asbestos containing materials from Government, commercial and residential properties and develop policy options to support the removal of asbestos in poor condition.

On 31 December 2016, the Victorian government established the Victorian Asbestos Eradication Agency (VAEA) to plan for the prioritised removal of asbestos from Victorian government-owned buildings. The VAEA will report annually to the government on the progress of removal. The reporting cycle will ensure a consistent, risk-based approach across government to the assessment, removal and management of ACMs in Victorian Government buildings now and into the future.

Recent media attention has provided a distorted view of the risks of asbestos within the Tasmanian community. However, it is acknowledged that raising awareness of the dangers of asbestos is still vitally significant. Exposure does not always lead to disease, but every time someone is exposed, the risk of future illness increases.

SafeWork SA undertook an initiative to streamline the collection of asbestos removal notification data and other documents that were required to be provided to the work health and safety regulator. An online portal was developed to eliminate the administrative burden and delays for asbestos removalists as a result of processing hard copy forms, including notification forms, clearance certificates and waste transport certification.

In 2010, Workplace Health and Safety Queensland (WHSQ) established a dedicated Asbestos Unit. In 2017, the unit expanded to target investigation of poorly performing asbestos licence holders, to target selected asbestos regulatory prosecutions, to oversee high profile and high-risk events such as the removal of asbestos debris arising from the use of high-pressure water and to oversee the management and removal of imported asbestos containing materials.

In 2015, the NSW Government launched the Voluntary Purchase and Demolition Program to address the issue of loose-fill asbestos insulation in NSW residential homes. The program and its associated assistance package is designed to help NSW residents by locating and remediating properties affected by loose-fill asbestos insulation. The NSW Government also introduced a number of new laws to identify properties affected by loose-fill asbestos insulation and to protect residents, workers and communities.

The Asbestos Response Taskforce was established to assist homeowners and their families directly affected by the legacy of loose fill asbestos insulation in the ACT. The Taskforce is responsible for delivering the Loose Fill Asbestos Insulation Eradication Scheme which is the ACT Government’s commitment to eradicate the legacy of Mr Fluffy from 1,023 of Canberra’s residential homes. The taskforce engages with homeowners and tenants, neighbours, community, industry and other jurisdictions to efficiently, effectively and safely deliver the eradication scheme.

The National Asbestos Profile combines information on regulations, importation and consumption, risks, exposed workers, burden of disease, incidence of lung cancers and mesothelioma, economic losses, and major epidemiological studies.

The case studies on asbestos management and removal from the built environment provide best practice examples of effective and safe approaches to asbestos management. The case studies present a number of key findings which illustrate the importance of careful planning, flexibility, effective communication, innovative thinking and building a business case which goes beyond a simple cost benefit analysis.