There are some standard guidelines that can help you determine whether your house would be likely to contain some building products that have asbestos fibres in them. These guidelines are based on the years asbestos products were manufactured and the age of your home. So, as a general rule, if your house was built:
- before the mid-1980s – it’s highly likely that it has asbestos-containing products
- between the mid-1980s and 1990 – it is likely that it has asbestos-containing products
- after 1990 – it is unlikely that it has any asbestos-containing products.
With this info in mind, please remember that there is always a chance that asbestos-containing products could have been used in your home if it was built prior to December 2003 – the time that the total ban on manufacture, reuse, use, import, transport, storage or sale of all forms of asbestos came into effect.
Asbestos: A Guide for Householders and the General Public
Australian Department of Health & Ageing