Can the municipality require me to hire a company to demolish asbestos?

[bullemedbulle]

I am currently in the process of obtaining a building permit where the demolition of a few asbestos panels needs to be done, not a total facade replacement, just a small part of the facade. After submitting the demolition plan where I state that I, as the property owner, will handle the demolition and management of the asbestos, I receive a response from the municipality wanting me to hire a certified company for this.

Is there really legal support for the municipality to require this? As long as I am the property owner and not getting help from friends, it should be unproblematic to do it myself, right?

 

[Takläggare]

I'm in the middle of the building permit process where the removal of a couple of asbestos sheets is needed, not a total facade replacement, just a smaller part of the facade. After submitting the demolition plan where I state that as a property owner I will remove and handle the asbestos, I get a response that the municipality wants me to hire a certified firm for it.

Is there really any legal support for the municipality to demand this? As long as I'm the property owner and not getting help from friends, it should be unproblematic to do it myself?

You are allowed to remove it yourself, attach this to your case officer in the municipality. This is from the Swedish Work Environment Authority, they decide who and how it can be removed, not the municipality.
https://www.av.se/produktion-industri-och-logistik/asbest/privatpersoners-hantering-av-asbest/

 

[öringen]

Sounds highly unlikely. Unless the rules have changed very recently, you can remove as much asbestos material as you want as a private individual in your own property.

 

[Claes Sörmland]

I guess the municipality can impose quite far-reaching requirements regarding the control plan. (I hope I'm wrong.)

For your own mental health: Immediately remove the asbestos sheets today, wrap them in plastic, and submit them for disposal. Replace them (temporarily) with fiber cement boards if necessary to avoid a permit-required facade change; they are available at Byggmax. This is non-permit-required facade maintenance that you can do at any time. Voilà, asbestos is no longer included in your demolition permit and can be removed from the control plan.

 

[Workingclasshero]

You might have to respect that the municipality wants to ensure it is done properly, and that dough flows into the community.
The reverse would be if the municipality suggested doing it yourself, and things could go wrong if you don't know how to do it.
One should read what it says, "wants" not "demands," and then put on appropriate protective gear and do it yourself.

Good luck.

/W

 

[bullemedbulle]

One might have to respect that the municipality wants it to be ensured that it is done in a proper way, and then money flows into the community.
The opposite would be for the municipality to suggest you do it yourself, and that can go badly if you don’t know how to do it.
You have to read what it says, "wants" not "requires," and then you put on appropriate protective gear and do it yourself.

Good luck.

/W

Yes, of course, I understand that the municipality wants it done correctly. And it should be done correctly, even if I'm the one doing it. What I find remarkable is that I "must" hire a company to do it, when to my knowledge, there is no legislation preventing me as a property owner from doing it?

The municipality writes the following: "To remove asbestos panels, you must hire a certified company to perform this."

 

[Takläggare]

I guess that the municipality can make quite extensive demands regarding the control plan. (I hope I am wrong.)

For the sake of your mental health: Immediately remove the asbestos-cement boards today, wrap them in plastic, and submit them for disposal. Replace them (temporarily) with fiber cement boards if necessary to avoid a facade change requiring a building permit, available at Byggmax. This is non-permit-required facade maintenance that you can do anytime. Now asbestos is no longer part of your demolition permit and can be removed from the control plan.

I have built a few houses on my own, what one can say about the municipality and a building officer is that they really don't know everything, I often have to correct the municipality, sometimes through laws and paragraphs, but they always correct themselves after being proven wrong. Sometimes it might be a young guy or girl who is the officer, they are barely dry behind the ears, as well as very inexperienced, then you have to step in and explain how things work. The easiest way is usually to ask why they don't know their job, then it usually gets going well.

 

[Takläggare]

Of course, I understand that the municipality wants it done correctly. And it should be done correctly even if it is I who do it. What I find remarkable is that I "have to" hire a company to do it when, to my knowledge, there is no legislation that prevents me as a property owner from doing it?

The municipality writes the following: "To remove asbestos cement board, you must hire a certified company to perform this"

Have you applied for a building permit or made a building notification to change the roof?

 

[bullemedbulle]

I have built a few houses on my own, what can be said about the municipality and a building officer is that they really don't know everything, I often have to correct the municipality, sometimes through laws and regulations, but they always correct themselves after being proven wrong, sometimes it can be a young guy or girl who is the officer, they are hardly wet behind the ears, and very inexperienced, then you have to step in and explain how it works, the easiest is usually to ask why they can't do their job, then it picks up speed.

Yes, that might be the case here, I just can't find a solid regulation that says private individuals can handle asbest that I can refer to. I only find the Swedish Work Environment Authority which was linked earlier in the thread, which the municipality strangely enough also refers to on its website regarding asbestos...
Maybe it's enough to refer to that!

 

[Staffans2000]

Of course, I understand that the municipality wants it done correctly. And it should be done correctly even if I do it myself. What I find remarkable is that I "have to" hire a firm to do it when, to my knowledge, there is no legislation preventing me as a property owner from doing it?

The municipality writes the following: "To remove asbestos panels, you must hire a certified company to perform this."

How does the municipality even know you have any asbestos panels on the house at all?
In any case, get rid of the panels quickly. With a crowbar, it just takes a few minutes.
Then you say, when the municipality asks: -what asbestos????

Staffans

 

[bullemedbulle]

Have you applied for a building permit or a building notification to replace the roof?

Building permit for extension, but a demolition plan was required for the part of the Eternit facade that needs to be removed.

 

[Claes Sörmland]

How does the municipality even know that you have any poor shingles on the house?
Anyway. Get rid of the slabs quickly. With a crowbar, it takes just a few minutes.
Then when the municipality asks, you say: -what cement fiber?

Staffans

Exactly my point. Perform non-permit-required maintenance that removes the cement fiber before the demolition action begins.

 

[Staffans2000]

Precisely my point. Perform non-permit-requiring maintenance that removes the eternit before starting the demolition measures.

A very good tip. Problem solved.

Staffan

 

[bullemedbulle]

Exactly my point. Perform non-permit-required maintenance that removes the eternit before the demolition action begins.

Exactly my point. Perform non-permit-required maintenance that removes the eternit before the demolition action begins.

Yes, but the fundamental problem still remains that the municipality should not be able to require hiring a company. Then your proposal also brings additional costs since fiber cement boards aren't free either, so I'd rather try to get the municipality to realize they are wrong

 

[Takläggare]

Building permit for extension, but a demolition plan is required for the part of the asbestos facade that needs to be removed.

Ask your case officer if the municipality has any special requirements? He should be able to show this via a document, he can send it via PDF.
Regarding the question about the requirement for asbestos facade remediation. which goes against Swedish legislation, which I have presented to you via the Work Environment Authority.
If he doesn't have a special requirement to send, then your case officer can't do his job.