Four out of every ten older homes sold now are asbestos-safe: ‘We expect that number to go up a bit’

Anyone who wants to sell a home built before 2001 has been requiring an asbestos certificate since the end of November. Meanwhile, an inspector visited 40,126 homes, and this research showed that at least 65 percent of the homes contained asbestos somewhere. “This is in line with our expectations,” says Jan Verheyen, spokesperson for the waste management company OVAM. We know that the percentage is high and we expect it to increase slightly. Although this figure is already very representative. Before 2001 it was common to use asbestos-containing materials It’s good that we finally got a better view of this.”

However, owners of asbestos-containing homes should not panic immediately. Of the 40,126 homes inspected, 41 percent were declared “unsafe,” while 59 percent were found to be “asbestos-safe.” “A home is safe when asbestos is either completely absent, or is still in good condition and does not pose a risk, for example because it is locked and you cannot actually access it,” says Verheyen.

For homes deemed asbestos-safe, advice is given immediately on how best to handle the work. “The certification states whether asbestos-containing materials should be removed at once, or how they can be carefully treated pending a more extensive renovation.”

aesthetics

Currently, asbestos certification is only mandatory when selling a home. However, the homeowner may refuse to allow holes to be drilled for the names of the specimens for aesthetic reasons. “It’s true,” Verhein says. “But then that place is included on the asbestos certificate as ‘suspected asbestos,’ which is the legal equivalent of ‘containing asbestos,’ until laboratory analysis proves otherwise.” It is not known how many people would refuse such drilling for aesthetic reasons.

By 2032, every home older than 2001 must have an asbestos certification. However, the advice in the certificate is not binding and does not imply an obligation to process. But from the point of view of environmental regulations, you are not allowed to endanger yourself or others. If so, you should still clean up the asbestos.”

The long wait times that still existed in November for asbestos inspectors appear to have been eliminated. There are already over 764 experts at work. Another 2,000 will be added shortly. This means that it takes an average of eight business days before you can obtain an asbestos certification.