Asbestos means the fibrous form of those mineral silicates that belong to the serpentine or amphibole groups of rock-forming minerals, including actinolite, amosite (brown asbestos), anthophyllite, chrysotile (white asbestos), crocidolite (blue asbestos) and tremolite. Asbestos waste means any waste that contains asbestos.
‘Special waste’ is a class of waste that has unique regulatory requirements. The potential environmental impacts of special waste need to be managed to minimise the risk of harm to the environment and human health. Special waste includes (amongst other items) asbestos waste.
Generators of special waste do not need to make any further assessment of their waste if it falls within the definitions of special wastes. The only exception to this is where special waste is mixed with restricted solid or hazardous waste. In these circumstances, the waste must be classified as special waste and restricted solid or hazardous waste (as applicable), and managed as both of those classifications.
