Asbestos and building

This page has information to help householders manage the risk of exposure to asbestos fibres.

If you have concerns about asbestos in your household, go to the Asbestos in the NT website.

Identifying asbestos

It is very hard to identify asbestos by sight.

If you're unsure whether your house contains asbestos materials, you should treat any suspect material as though it does.

If you know the suspect material was installed before 2004, it is safest to assume it does contain asbestos.

The only way to be sure is to have a sample of the material analysed by a laboratory.

Find out more about how to identify and manage asbestos in your house on the Asbestos in the NT website.

Handling asbestos

If you suspect your house contains asbestos, you should get licensed professionals to undertake your home renovations and to remove the asbestos from your property.

Even taking a sample of anything you think contains asbestos can be dangerous.

You should have any sampling of suspect material carried out by a licensed asbestos removalist.

To find a licensed asbestos removalist, go to the NT Work Safe website.

Laboratory testing

It is not recommended to test asbestos yourself. You should employ a professional laboratory to undertake this work.

For more information about asbestos sampling and testing, go to the Asbestos in the NT website.