Asbestos and building

This section is for people living or working in buildings that may have been constructed with asbestos or those working on sites with asbestos-containing material.

Health risks

Asbestos is only a risk to your health if you breathe in asbestos fibres.

You are not at risk from undisturbed asbestos cement materials in good condition.

The fibres are bound together in solid cement.

You may be at risk if materials in your environment contain:

• friable or
• loose asbestos material that can cause serious health problems if inhaled.

The fibres may lodge in your lung tissue and can cause inflammation, scarring, asbestosis, mesothelioma or lung cancer.

Managing asbestos

Most buildings constructed before 1990 contain asbestos cement products. Read about building materials containing asbestos.

Even though the health risk of undisturbed asbestos in the home is very low, you should find a licensed professional to remove it when renovating your home. Read about asbestos safety for householders.

You can also read about managing asbestos in NT Government buildings and remote communities on the Department of Logistics and Infrastructure website.