For more than a century thousands of products were made with asbestos. In 1977vover 4.8 million tons of asbestos was mined worldwide. Products installed in homes, buildings, ships and cars all over the world.

Asbestos once hailed as a "miracle" material because of its fire and heat resistant properties, is now known to cause cancer and illness. One particular type of cancer caused by asbestos exposure is mesothelioma, an incurable painful disease that doesn’t present itself until decades after initial exposure.

So now, three decades after the United States established federal and state regulations regarding the use, management, removal and disposal of asbestos containing materials (ACMs), threats to public and environmental health are still quite prevalent. Every day thousands of buildings are renovated, repaired or demolished – leaving behind tons of waste contaminated with asbestos.

So where does all the asbestos waste go? How are you supposed to get rid of asbestos materials? What impact do they have on the lives of people and the environment? And how is it that contractors and homeowners can continue to dispose of asbestos unsafely in the face of illness, death, polluted land and contaminated buildings and atmospheres?

Every day the news has at least one story of a person or organization – sometimes even an entire country- that continues to ignore safety standards, putting not only themselves but others in the vicinity at risk. Despite government and environmental efforts for standardizing management and imposing bans, hundreds of thousands continue to be exposed and run the risk of later developing mesothelioma, asbestosis or other forms of cancer.

Currently in the United States, any disposal of asbestos must follow general guidelines. Bottom line is one can minimize damage by following safety regulations yet the fact remains that tons of asbestos remains in buildings, ships, and cars, and once disposed of, become contaminated landfill.

While asbestos cannot be eradicated, risk to public health and the environment can be decreased by following simple procedures. They may cost the homeowner or contractor a little more money and time, but the long term benefit is worth it. This, more than threat of fines or jail time or loss of profit margin, should be what governs the handling and disposal of asbestos containing materials.

If you produce hazardous waste in the UK you will may need to register your premises with the Environment Agency. If you produce small amounts of waste at different customer premises, you can register as a mobile service. Any waste that contains asbestos, or is contaminated with asbestos, must be double-bagged and placed in a covered, locked skip. This includes overalls, over-shoes, sampling wastes and respiratory protection equipment that have come into contact with asbestos. Respiratory protection equipment must hold a valid test certificate which lasts for only six months at a time. The RPE test is undertaken by a specialists company that holds testing certification paperwork. Once the testing is complete the company will issue with you with a certificate with a serial ID number that lasts 6 months only.