Asbestos Fence, Soil and Backyard Debris Removal in Auckland

Asbestos Fence, Contaminated Soil and Concrete Structure Removal

When asbestos turns up around an older Auckland property, it is not always sitting neatly in one place. Pieces can be hidden behind a garage, buried beneath grass, mixed through dumped rubbish or pushed into the soil around established trees.

PropertyHelp Ltd was engaged to undertake controlled Class B asbestos removal work based on the areas identified by the property owner. The job included removing asbestos fencing, investigating suspected asbestos debris in the backyard, removing contaminated grass and topsoil, and demolishing a concrete structure once the asbestos-related work had been completed.

Removing Asbestos Fencing Beside the House and Garage

The first part of the work involved removing asbestos cement fencing from:

• The side of the house
• The side of the garage
• Other fence sections specifically identified by the owner

Old asbestos fencing can become brittle after years of wind, rain and the occasional knock from garden equipment. Once damaged, small fragments can break away and find their way into garden beds, grass and nearby soil.

PropertyHelp Ltd carefully removed the fence sheets using controlled Class B asbestos removal procedures. The sheets were kept as intact as reasonably practicable, wrapped in approved polythene and prepared for transport to an authorised asbestos waste disposal facility.

The work area was isolated to prevent homeowners, neighbours and other contractors from accidentally entering the removal zone.

Digging Around the Backyard Tree

A two-metre-by-two-metre area around a tree trunk in the backyard was identified for further investigation. Rubbish had previously been dumped in this location, and some of the material was believed to contain asbestos.

This was the sort of untidy corner that can easily be overlooked during a general property clean-up. Unfortunately, throwing everything into a trailer or attacking the area with a shovel can disturb hidden asbestos fragments.

The topsoil around the tree was carefully removed using controlled methods. The dumped rubbish and any suspected asbestos-containing material were separated, wrapped and treated as asbestos waste.

Because tree roots can hold small pieces of broken material, the excavation required patience rather than brute force. The aim was to remove the affected soil and debris while avoiding unnecessary damage to the tree and preventing suspected fibres from being spread further across the backyard.

“Chicken Picking” the Grass for Asbestos Pieces

After the main debris had been removed, the grass at the rear of the property was methodically checked for visible asbestos-containing material.

This process is sometimes described onsite as “chicken picking”—carefully working across the ground by hand and collecting visible fragments one piece at a time. It might not sound glamorous, but it is a practical way of finding the small grey shards that can hide between grass, weeds and loose soil.

Workers wore the required personal protective equipment and respiratory protection while completing the inspection and collection process. All identified or suspected ACM pieces were placed into approved asbestos waste packaging.

Removing Grass and Soil from the Marked Square

The scope also included removing the grass and underlying soil from a square area indicated by the property owner.

This area was treated as potentially asbestos-contaminated until the affected material had been removed. The grass, roots and required depth of topsoil were carefully lifted without using methods that could throw dust or fragments into the air.

The excavated material was packaged and disposed of as asbestos-contaminated waste where required. Once the removal was complete, the area was visually inspected for remaining fragments.

This part of an asbestos clean-up is important because mowing, weed-eating or digging through contaminated ground can break larger pieces into smaller ones and spread them into previously unaffected areas.

Removing the Concrete Structure

Following completion of the asbestos removal and ground clean-up, the concrete structure identified by the owner was removed.

The concrete demolition was kept separate from the asbestos removal process. This helped prevent heavy demolition work from disturbing suspected ACM or mixing asbestos debris into broken concrete and general demolition waste.

The structure was dismantled using suitable equipment, and the resulting concrete and demolition material was removed from the property in accordance with the agreed scope.

Keeping the Work Controlled

Before starting, PropertyHelp Ltd established the work areas and put suitable controls in place. These included:

• Restricting access to the asbestos removal zones
• Wearing disposable coveralls, gloves and suitable respiratory protection
• Using controlled, low-dust removal methods
• Keeping asbestos fence sheets intact wherever practicable
• Carefully hand-picking visible ACM fragments
• Wrapping and labelling asbestos waste
• Cleaning tools, footwear and work areas
• Transporting asbestos waste to an authorised disposal facility
• Visually checking the completed areas for remaining debris

Why Buried Asbestos Should Not Be Ignored

Asbestos fragments in soil are easy to dismiss when they appear small or weathered. The problem is what happens later. Someone mows over them, children play in the area, a gardener digs through the soil, or a contractor arrives with a mini excavator and unknowingly spreads the debris.

If you find old fibre-cement fencing, suspicious grey fragments or dumped building waste around an Auckland property, leave the material alone and arrange for it to be assessed. Do not mow, water-blast, crush, sand or sweep suspected asbestos material.

Auckland Class B Asbestos Removal by PropertyHelp Ltd

PropertyHelp Ltd provides Class B asbestos removal services across Auckland, including:

• Asbestos fence removal
• Asbestos cement sheet removal
• Asbestos debris clean-ups
• Asbestos-contaminated soil removal
• Backyard ACM fragment collection
• Asbestos soffit and baseboard removal
• Vinyl flooring removal
• Minor demolition associated with asbestos work

If you have an old asbestos fence, suspected asbestos fragments in your garden or dumped building waste on your property, PropertyHelp Ltd can inspect the area and provide a practical removal plan.