Could this be asbestos?

[Vicario]

This tiny shelter has been hidden for most of the year by Russian vine which spreads from the adjacent garden. I use it to dump stuff that I accumulate in the winter and then forget about it as it's invisible. Anyway, the local foxes have been using it as a landing area when they jump the fence and the other night I heard a crash - the thing had collapsed, probably due to a very large fox that we've seen around a few times. I want to demolish it completely and empty out the accumulated rubbish; it has a corrugated tin roof but the walls look suspicious to me so I haven't touched it yet. Is there any layman's way to test for asbestos? (My neighbour reckons that his identical one was a wartime shelter - possible, as the house was occupied from 1934.)

 

[footprints]

Not a shelter they were corrugated iron that looks like Asbestos cement.

 

[Ivor Windybottom]

It definitely looks like it. The asbestos is fibrous, you'll see fine hairy strands if you look at a recently snapped part. If you see hairs then it is, but if you don't then definintely don't take this as proof that it isn't.

It was included as reinforcement with the cement mix, which enabled them to make the cement board stronger. The fact that it's thin probably does mean it's asbestos. But it's possible it's more modern glass fibre or plastic.

You could send a sample away for testing, there are loads of companies on the internet you can pay, they send an envelope and you post a piece back. You could just treat it as though it definitely is, but a test may still be worth doing just in case it isn't - you may be lucky, in which case the test would probably pay for itself in that you won't need a load of extra cost and care in removal and disposal.

Definitely take it seriously, and don't listen to anyone who says it isn't a big deal, it definitely did lots of harm to lots of people back in the good old days. My grandad (who I never met) worked in an asbestos factory and died in his forties, after lots of suffering.

 

[^woody^]

Most likely.

It's ok to work on outside. Avoid breaking it if possible, wear a mask and gloves and just be careful. Double bag any bits, polythene sheet and tape sheets for transport. Check what tips will accept it.

 

[opps]

Wet it first to prevent any fibres becoming airborne.

You can buy testing kits.

Google Search

 

[Jedross]

This tiny shelter has been hidden for most of the year by Russian vine which spreads from the adjacent garden. I use it to dump stuff that I accumulate in the winter and then forget about it as it's invisible. Anyway, the local foxes have been using it as a landing area when they jump the fence and the other night I heard a crash - the thing had collapsed, probably due to a very large fox that we've seen around a few times. I want to demolish it completely and empty out the accumulated rubbish; it has a corrugated tin roof but the walls look suspicious to me so I haven't touched it yet. Is there any layman's way to test for asbestos? (My neighbour reckons that his identical one was a wartime shelter - possible, as the house was occupied from 1934.)

For asbestos, you could look for telltale signs like a fibrous, cement-like texture—often in old corrugated panels.

 

[Vicario]

Thanks everyone - very useful advice!