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Free Asbestos Collection in NSW: What the 2027 Trial Covers
From 2027 the NSW Government plans to trial free pick-up and disposal of smaller amounts of household asbestos waste. The trial covers collection and disposal, not professional removal, and its detailed rules have not been released yet.
This guide sets out what has been announced, what is still undecided, and what to do if you have asbestos at home right now.
Rosemont Contractors, SafeWork NSW licence AD213403.
Last updated: 13 October 2026
What the NSW Government has announced
In July 2026 the NSW Government released the NSW Asbestos Plan of Action, alongside a $16 million investment to improve the way NSW handles asbestos waste. Within that, $9 million has been set aside for a two-year trial of a household collection program that will offer NSW households free pick-up and disposal of asbestos waste (NSW Government announcement).
Announcing it, Environment Minister Penny Sharpe said: “One in three houses built before 1990 contains asbestos.” The government also expects the trial to mean less illegal dumping, which its announcement links partly to the cost of disposing of asbestos correctly.
When does it start?
The EPA expects implementation to start in 2027. It is designing the trial first, then it will run a tender to engage one or more waste service providers (EPA trial page). No month has been announced.
Who is expected to qualify?
The EPA says NSW householders will be eligible, including people renovating and homes with legacy asbestos. It is not taking expressions of interest yet, and says further details will come in 2027.
What else is in the plan
Two other actions matter if you are planning work on an older home. SafeWork NSW will promote intrusive asbestos surveys as best practice before demolition and renovation, and the plan proposes that exempt development involving minor alterations must not cover or clad asbestos-containing material, listed as a 6 to 18 month action (NSW Asbestos Plan of Action, PDF).
The free collection at a glance
Based on what the NSW Government and the EPA have published so far. We will update this page as the EPA releases the trial details.
What is free
Pick-up of eligible household asbestos waste by a contracted provider, at a time arranged with you, and disposal at a facility licensed to accept asbestos waste.
What is not covered
Nothing announced so far pays for professional removal, testing or clearance certificates. The announcement covers collection and disposal, not getting the asbestos off the building.
Still to be decided
How much each household can have collected, whether builders and contractors can book a pick-up, and who will run the collections. The EPA currently says the trial details will be determined in the next 6 to 12 months.
Free collection is not free removal
People search for “free asbestos removal”, but the government has announced free collection and disposal, not free professional removal. Someone still has to take the asbestos off the house, shed or fence and package it for disposal.
Can you remove it yourself?
In NSW a homeowner can legally remove less than 10 m² of non-friable (bonded) asbestos, and a tradesperson can do the same on a homeowner’s behalf. That is roughly a 5 m by 2 m wall, or the wall sheeting from one small bathroom (Asbestos NSW). The NSW Government still strongly recommends a licensed removalist because there is no safe level of exposure to asbestos (Asbestos NSW), and some removal work needs planning consent from your council (Asbestos NSW).
When a licensed removalist is required
More than 10 m² of non-friable asbestos must be removed by a licensed removalist with at least a Class B licence, and any amount of friable asbestos needs a Class A licence (SafeWork NSW). Friable asbestos can be crumbled or reduced to powder by hand pressure, such as insulation around hot water pipes, and bonded asbestos can become friable when it is damaged or old (Asbestos NSW). The licensed removalist must notify SafeWork NSW at least five calendar days before that work starts.
Our guide to DIY asbestos removal in NSW goes through the legal limits in more detail.
Clients trust us because we do it right the first time.
Grab the arrows below to see our work before and after.
How Rosemont can help before and after the collection
The NSW Government may cover the cost of collecting and disposing of eligible household asbestos waste. Identifying it, removing it safely and preparing it for disposal is the part a licensed company does. Every written Rosemont quote sets out:
- An on-site assessment and scope of works
- SafeWork NSW notification where required
- Removal works under licence AD213403
- PPE, decontamination and site set-up
- Packaging, transport and disposal at an EPA-approved facility
- Air monitoring where it is scoped
- An independent clearance certificate at completion
Once the EPA publishes the trial rules, we will check your job against them. If the rules allow it, we can remove the asbestos and prepare it ready for pick-up. If there is more than the trial allows, or the job does not qualify, we handle the whole job. And because Rosemont has an in-house carpentry team, the eaves, walls or ceiling can be put back once the removal is signed off.
Recent Rosemont jobs include bathroom walls and ceiling in Kings Park, house eaves in Elderslie, a garage ceiling in Beecroft and shed walls and demolition in Bossley Park.
How to get a quote
Call 0475 000 021 or use the form below. We give a free quote after an on-site assessment, and we cover Sydney Metro, the Northern Beaches, the Central Coast, Wollongong, the Blue Mountains, the Southern Highlands and Western Sydney.
Remove it now, or seal it and wait?
If the asbestos is in good condition and you are not about to renovate, waiting for the trial can be reasonable. The NSW Government’s guidance is that sealed asbestos in good condition is likely to be low risk, and that fibro and corrugated asbestos sheeting can be sealed with good quality paint to stop fibres being released. The same guidance says asbestos-containing materials should be removed if possible (Asbestos NSW).
Rosemont’s asbestos encapsulation service seals intact, stable asbestos material with bridging and penetrating sealants. It may not suit material that is damaged, or an area you plan to renovate or demolish. Then removal is the safe option, and testing tells you which way to go.
More on the trade-off in encapsulation vs removal.
Have asbestos now? What to do before the trial starts
- Leave it alone if it is stable. Asbestos is dangerous if it is damaged, disturbed or deteriorating (EPA).
- Have it tested. You can’t tell if a material contains asbestos just by looking at it, and a home built or renovated before 1990 probably has some (Asbestos NSW).
- Keep it out of bins and skips. It is illegal to dump asbestos, put it in your kerbside bin, or put it in an uncovered skip or one not approved for asbestos.
- Use a licensed facility. Asbestos can only go to a landfill licensed to accept it. The EPA keeps a list of facilities that accept household asbestos, and you should phone ahead.
- Tell the EPA if you cart it. If you transport more than 100 kg or 10 m² of asbestos waste from your home yourself, you must notify the EPA within 24 hours of delivering it, using its household asbestos form (Asbestos NSW).
- Keep the paperwork. The EPA says you remain responsible for your asbestos waste even if you pay someone to take it away, so ask your contractor for the disposal receipt (EPA).
- Check your council. Some councils run their own collections. Cumberland City Council, for example, collects up to 10 m² of loose, non-friable asbestos from residential properties if it is already separated from the building and not from recent renovation work (Cumberland City Council). Rosemont also works across Cumberland.
If the asbestos is damaged, or building work is about to start, it should not wait for the trial. See what to do when you find asbestos mid-renovation.
Where Rosemont works
We cover Sydney Metro, the Northern Beaches, the Central Coast, Wollongong, the Blue Mountains, the Southern Highlands and Western Sydney, including Bankstown, Bayside, Camden, Campbelltown, Central Coast, Cumberland, Fairfield, Gosford, Hornsby, Hurstville, Manly, Northern Beaches, Penrith, Randwick, Ryde, Strathfield, Waverley and Wollongong.
Free Asbestos Collection: Common Questions
Will the NSW Government pay to remove my asbestos?
Not under anything announced so far. What has been announced is free collection and disposal of smaller amounts of household asbestos waste, expected from 2027. Removal, testing and clearance certificates are not part of the announcement.
When can I book a free asbestos pick-up?
Not yet. The EPA expects the trial to start in 2027 and is not taking expressions of interest. It says further details will come in 2027.
Is there a limit on how much asbestos will be collected?
No limit has been announced. The EPA says it is finalising the details and will work with stakeholders to analyse how much asbestos a typical homeowner or renovator is likely to find.
Can a builder or contractor book the pick-up for me?
The EPA hasn’t answered this yet. Currently, it says the trial details will be determined in the next 6 to 12 months.
Who will collect the asbestos?
One or more waste service providers, which the EPA intends to engage through a tender. Rosemont is not a collection provider for the trial.
Should I remove asbestos now and store it until the trial starts?
We would not recommend it. No limits or detailed eligibility rules have been published, so stored waste may not qualify, and asbestos waste has to be securely packaged before it is transported. If the material is stable, leaving it in place or sealing it is usually the better holding option.
Can I put asbestos in my wheelie bin or a skip?
No. It is illegal to put asbestos in your kerbside bin, or in an uncovered skip or one not approved for asbestos. It has to go to a facility licensed to accept asbestos waste.
How do I check a removalist's licence?
Search the licence number on the NSW Government’s Verify NSW register. Rosemont Contractors holds licence AD213403.
Do you work outside Sydney?
Yes. As well as Sydney Metro, including the Northern Beaches and Western Sydney, we cover the Central Coast, Wollongong, the Blue Mountains and the Southern Highlands.
Sources
This page is based on official NSW Government information. We will update it when the EPA publishes more detail about the trial.
- NSW EPA: Making it free to dispose of household asbestos waste (media release, 6 July 2026)
- NSW EPA: Management of asbestos in recovered fines and recovered materials, with the asbestos collection service questions (updated 19 August 2026)
- NSW Asbestos Plan of Action (PDF, July 2026)
- NSW EPA: Dealing with household asbestos
- NSW EPA: Facilities that accept household asbestos
- NSW EPA: Disposing of household asbestos form
- Asbestos NSW: Unlicensed asbestos removal
- Asbestos NSW: Disposing of asbestos waste
- Asbestos NSW: Friable and non-friable asbestos
- Asbestos NSW: How do I know if it’s asbestos?
- Asbestos NSW: How do I manage asbestos on my property?
- Asbestos NSW: Find a licensed asbestos removalist
- SafeWork NSW: Working as a licensed asbestos removalist
- Verify NSW: public licence register
- Cumberland City Council: Asbestos Awareness
Last updated: 13 October 2026
