Traralgon asbestos questions, answered

Probably somewhere. APM's company houses for its mill workers went up in Traralgon from the late 1930s, and the council's heritage study calls them a major part of the town's housing today. Anything that age, and anything renovated before 1990, is worth testing before you cut, drill or sand. The homes by era page goes through it street type by street type.

The Commission built 199 houses on part of the old Traralgon Park estate around Gordon Street between 1945 and 1952. The heritage study doesn't say what they were clad in, so don't assume fibro or rule it out. The pre-1990 rule and a test apply the same as anywhere.

If the house went up after the 2003 ban, its building products shouldn't contain asbestos. Watch for anything older that came with the block: a secondhand shed, an old boundary fence, or a garage that was there before the estate.

Latrobe City's estimate for its homes is well above the national figure; the numbers are on the homes by era page. Much of the housing went up between the 1940s and the 1980s, while asbestos cement products were still being made; manufacture stopped in 1987.

Yes, and from Tyers, Glengarry, Toongabbie, Traralgon South, Callignee and Hazelwood North too, with each town's status shown on the areas page. Churchill's Housing Commission houses were built in brick from 1965, but brick walls don't tell you what's in the eaves, the wet areas or the shed. See the Churchill page.

No. Latrobe City's hard waste collection excludes asbestos. A homeowner's own small load goes to the Hyland Highway Landfill by appointment, paid for in Morwell first; the disposal page has the steps.

Yes. Latrobe City's consent under section 29A of the Building Act is needed to demolish any building except a domestic shed, and your building surveyor lodges it. Council's policy is to decide within 14 days of having everything, after checking the heritage study and planning scheme. The asbestos duties before a demolition come from state law, not council. See house demolition.

Under the Latrobe Valley Asbestos Taskforce's list, a homeowner doing their own removal is a matter for Latrobe City, on 1300 367 700. If it's a contractor doing it badly, ring WorkSafe on 1800 136 089.

What matters is whether sheets were cracked, swollen, torn off or cut out during the clean-up, and where the pieces went. If you're not sure what happened to the lining behind the laundry or bathroom, have it looked at before the next renovation.

The licensed removalist has to lodge a notice with WorkSafe first. For anything friable, or bonded sheet over 10 square metres, that's five days before work starts. For 10 square metres of bonded sheet or less, it's 24 hours. Allow for that on top of the time it takes to quote and book.

Consumer Affairs Victoria's list of what goes in a section 32 covers title, zoning, rates and the like, not the building's condition, and doesn't mention asbestos. The statement still has to be accurate and complete, so ask your conveyancer what to disclose, and keep any test results and clearance certificates.

Don't pull it down or patch it yourself. Tell the landlord or agent in writing, with photos, and keep a copy. Who pays and who arranges the removal is a question for Consumer Affairs Victoria.

Your GP first. GARDS, the Gippsland support group based at 211 Lloyd Street, Moe, runs a 24-hour line on 0407 274 173.

No source we found says they must. The state's guidance at asbestos.vic.gov.au is that non-friable asbestos in good condition is very low risk. Cutting, drilling or sanding it is what disturbs it. Leaving sound eaves alone is your call; a test tells you what you're living with, and a licensed removalist can advise on your case.

For a builder or tradie it's work, so the licence rules bind them. Without a licence they're limited to 10 square metres or less of bonded material, and one hour or less of that work in any seven days. Anything past that needs a licensed removalist on the job, so ask your builder who holds the licence.

No licensed removalist covers Traralgon through this site yet. Your enquiry is logged as a registration of interest. Tick the box and we'll let you know once one is confirmed for your town; your details move across only if you reply yes to that message. Need someone sooner, use WorkSafe Victoria's directory. Each town's status is on the areas page, and the about page explains how a removalist is checked before taking on a town.