Parliament has passed quite a bit of legislation regarding asbestos in the UK. The primary acts concerned with asbestos are:
The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
The Asbestos (Licensing) Regulations 1983
The Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 1987, amended 1992
The Control of Asbestos in the Air Regulations 1990
The Asbestos (Prohibitions) Regulations 1992
The Control of Pollution Act 1974
The Control of Pollution (Special Waste) Regulations 1980
The Collection and Disposal of Waste Regulations 1988
The Water Act 1989
The Trade Effluents (Prescribed Processes and Substances) Regulations 1989
The Consumer Safety Act 1978
The Asbestos Products (Safety) Regulations 1985
In th UK, the general rule is to not work with asbestos. If it must be used, however, the work is licensed and strictly monitored. Levels at which action are required are:
For blue and brown asbestos: 48 fibre-hours/ml of air
For white asbestos: 96 fibre-hours/ml of air
