Key points

• Buildings built before 1 January 2000 are likely to contain asbestos-containing materials (ACMs). For buildings built after 1 January 2000, the risk of asbestos material being present is lower.
• The removal of asbestos is covered by the Health and Safety at Work (Asbestos) Regulations 2016, the Health and Safety at Work (General Risk and Workplace Management) Regulations 2016, and the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015.
• There are different classes of asbestos removal. Each class has different regulatory requirements depending on how much asbestos material is being removed and the friability of the asbestos material being removed.
• Businesses involved in the removal of asbestos must ensure the health and safety of their workers and any other people that could be put at risk by the work that they do.
• These guidelines do not cover removal of asbestos from contaminated land. For more information, see New Zealand Guidelines for Assessing and Managing Asbestos in Soil(external link)