Grow Your Own Magazine

poultrychat · #1 (**permalink**) 31-03-2006, 02:33 PM

I have an old asbestos cold water tank that still has the ball valve etc, attached about 3ft high and about 21/2ft x 3ft - could someone please come up with a good use for it. I've got as far as thinking of attaching it to a water butt but no further

Geordie · #2 (**permalink**) 31-03-2006, 03:06 PM

Asbestos.....youre doomed!!

One use is to use it in greenhouse as an automatic water feeder....either using gravity or a small pump

andrewo · #3 (**permalink**) 31-03-2006, 03:49 PM

Get shot of the stuff, asbestos is dangerous.

Lesley Jay · #4 (**permalink**) 31-03-2006, 04:15 PM

You can't just get shot of it Andrewo. Asbestos has to be removed by a professional company because of the dangers.

poultrychat · #5 (**permalink**) 31-03-2006, 05:17 PM

I gather the only danger from asbestos is when it is broken - I have loads of the stuff here but it would costs hundreds of pounds to get it removed. The tank is intact and was working until about 3 months ago when we had the whole system updated and I now can't get rid of the tank so I'm looking for a use for it, the greenhouse one sounds good

sewer rat · #6 (**permalink**) 31-03-2006, 05:59 PM

If you decide against using it in the greenhouse, though that sounds to me like an ideal situation, get rid.
In my work we come across old asbestos water mains all the time. If the tank is a white grey colour (after you scrape off the black paint that usually accompanies asbestos used for carrying water) then dig a hole, wrap the tank in old blankets and knock seven bells of hell out of it, then bury it on your own land. You must not transport it anywhere from your property - that requires a licenced operator to carry out the removal as LJ points out and is not only expensive but unless you love form filling, should not be considered.
However, if the asbestos is any other colour, especially if it has a blue tint to it - highly unlikely in my opinion - then you have no option but to call in the experts and cough up the dough. Though, given the dimensions of the tank, it shouldn't cost to much - most of the cost is actually the cost of transporting the asbestos to a registered asbestos dump - very very few and far between, and therefore haulage is expensive.

poultrychat · #7 (**permalink**) 31-03-2006, 07:02 PM

Thanks sewer rat - it doesn't have any paint on it and is a whitish greyish colour

If I don't use it in the greenhouse is there any reason why I cant bury some of the stuff in a soak away?

scooby · #8 (**permalink**) 31-03-2006, 08:26 PM

you should try to contain any risk of contamination by enclosing it in a suitable fabric. you could check out your local council tip, some of them provide bins for asbestos waste if it has not been smashed up, as this is normally the only time itposes a health risk.

sewer rat · #9 (**permalink**) 31-03-2006, 09:14 PM

Scooby's correct. Before burial, enclose in plastic bag (large & strong). We have had to bag asbestos on some jobs and all you get is large plastic bags with "Danger- Asbestos" printed on them.
Do not bury in a soakaway due to possible long term pollution in watercourse.
White asbestos, which you have, is not too dangerous but wear a facemask (available from most DIY stores quite cheaply) and a pair of gloves.

nick the grief · #10 (**permalink**) 31-03-2006, 10:38 PM

You could always try contacting enviromental health & ask them if they can shift it for you. But if they know you've got it it will make it even harder to get shut of it.

Do you need to put up any foundations for a shed? you could incorparate it into the concrete then.

andrewo · #11 (**permalink**) 01-04-2006, 04:17 PM

Didn't mean get shut of it as in dump it. Have had a friends die of asbestosis and silicosis and I think the stuff is evil, I would get onto environmental health and ask their opinion, if low grade, ask them the best way to seal it, this I know in the past can be done with heavy duty varnishes and paints. Just be wary of it and for god sakes wear a mask and make sure your skin is covered, it gets in anyway it can and the results are heartbreaking to watch.

Looloobowers · #12 (**permalink**) 01-04-2006, 05:50 PM

Hi All,

We deal with asbestos quite a bit as I work for an industrial roofing company. Bonded asbestos is the safest form. So long as you dont break it up, it is relatively harmless. The dangerous stuff is the kind used to insulate which is in soft form like lagging etc. In your case I'm sure if you speak to your local waste people they should be able to take it, the cost differs as it is usually cost/ton then approx £40 for the paperwork. If you use it as it is it should pose no threat.

Looloo

poultrychat · #13 (**permalink**) 02-04-2006, 07:26 AM

Apart from the tank I have loads of old corrugated asbestos roofing sheets that are all broken up - I pressume the previous owners dumped in on the land to save them the cost of having it removed, I will make a couple of phone calls tomorrow and see what sort of cost i would be looking at to have it removed

Shortie · #14 (**permalink**) 02-04-2006, 01:36 PM

PoultryChat.... check your local council (or mine, link below) as I've just checked (as we have the grey stuff to dispose of and am thinking of burying it my garden) and found this from Enfield Council... yours may do the same....?

http://www.enfield.gov.uk/Environmen...20disposal.htm

poultrychat · #15 (**permalink**) 02-04-2006, 04:34 PM

Hey thanks shortie, I will check them out !

Clarea1 · #16 (**permalink**) 02-04-2006, 05:25 PM

My council took mine for nothing, when we moved into our old house the guttering was asbestos. My partner borrowed breathing gear from work and soaked all the pipes with the hose pipe to minimise the dust. Alternativley, my local tip will dipose of it for free too.

poultrychat · #17 (**permalink**) 04-04-2006, 08:01 AM

Thanks for the 'Top Tip' I have checked my council site and if it is up to date then if I take it to the site (it's about an hour away) and pay to have it disposed of then the council will reimburse me for 1/4 ton but only once a year - quite how I am meant to work out what 1/4 ton is I'm not sure as kitchen scales don't go that high

Nicos · #18 (**permalink**) 04-04-2006, 10:20 AM

I think it's about 40 stone! (2240 lbs in a ton) don't ask me in new money

sewer rat · #19 (**permalink**) 04-04-2006, 07:48 PM

Hi PC
1 metric tonne is 1000 kilogrammes, so 1/4 tonne is 250 kilogrammes.
1 kilogramme is 2.24 lbs so 250 kilos is 560 lbs.
Weigh one sheet and calculate it from there - asbestos sheets are quite heavy so be careful lifting them - they also break relatively easily.
If I had known you had more than the tank to dispose of I would have advised you differently - but if you try the tank out and then change your mind, at least you'll know what to do with it

poultrychat · #20 (**permalink**) 04-04-2006, 07:51 PM

Thanks for all the helpful answers

nick the grief · #21 (**permalink**) 04-04-2006, 09:20 PM

your looking at the weight of 10 bags of spuds roughly & well done Rat, that wasn't done at 3 in the morning

sewer rat · #22 (**permalink**) 04-04-2006, 10:34 PM

Am doing the OH's end of year accounts at the mo, so my head is full of calculations, and figuring out devious ways to bring down the tax bill - by the time I'm finished, she'll have lost a fortune.

nick the grief · #23 (**permalink**) 04-04-2006, 10:35 PM

is that avoidance or evasion

sewer rat · #24 (**permalink**) 04-04-2006, 10:50 PM

Would I, an ex officer of Her Majesty's Customs, ever evade my taxes - I think not, buit by Christ, I'll avoid them like the plague - and I know how to do it too !