Does my building contain asbestos?
It may if it is old enough. MOM says Singapore banned asbestos in building materials in the late 1980s, and that a building built after 1 January 1991 is unlikely to contain asbestos-containing materials. Older buildings may still have it in corrugated roof sheets, ceiling boards, partition walls, floor tiles, pipe lagging and fire protection boards. You cannot tell by looking: only a survey by a competent asbestos surveyor, with samples tested in a laboratory, confirms whether a material contains asbestos.
From the RRD Field Guide, checked against the sources cited in Asbestos in Renovation and Strip-Out in Singapore: Surveys, Approved Removal and Owner Duties. General information, not advice for your project.
The fuller picture
In Singapore, building works on a building whose completion certificate or TOP was issued before 1 January 1991 must not start until a competent person has surveyed for asbestos. Any asbestos found may only be removed by an MOM-approved asbestos-removal contractor, which must notify MOM at least 7 days ahead. The occupier must ensure no one else removes it, and the waste goes by licensed collector to Semakau Landfill.
More questions on this topic
- Do I need an asbestos survey before renovating?
- Can my renovation contractor remove asbestos ceiling boards?
- How much notice does MOM need before asbestos removal?
- Is asbestos dangerous if I leave it alone?
- What happens to the asbestos waste?
- Who is responsible: the owner or the contractor?
- What are the health risks of asbestos exposure?
- What should I do if suspected asbestos is found halfway through the works?