Removing asbestos fibre cement: who can do it and how

Why you cannot remove it yourself

Law 8/2026 prohibits members of the public and companies not dedicated to removal from using or handling asbestos-containing materials, except where the regulations allow it (art. 11.a). It also states that asbestos materials must be removed by specialised, authorised firms or professionals (art. 31.1).

The reason is health: breaking, cutting or dismantling fibre cement releases fibres that can be inhaled. That is why removal requires trained staff, protective equipment and a procedure that stops dust leaving the work area.

Who can do it

Firms that carry out asbestos demolition or removal work must be registered in the RERA (Registro de empresas con riesgo por amianto) (arts. 3 and 17 of RD 396/2006). Ask for their registration number before hiring them.

Law 8/2026 also creates a Catalan register of firms and professionals qualified to manage asbestos (art. 36), and requires them to have the necessary training and to undergo periodic checks (art. 31.2).

How removal works

1. The firm inspects the site and draws up a work plan for the job: description of the work, type of material, location, dates, workers, procedures, preventive measures and waste disposal (art. 11 of RD 396/2006).
2. It submits the plan to the labour authority, which has 45 days to decide; if it does not reply in time, the plan is deemed approved (art. 12.2). For short, unplannable maintenance or repair jobs, the firm may use a single general plan (art. 11.4).
3. It removes the material according to the plan and keeps it secure until it is delivered to a controlled storage point (art. 31.4 of Law 8/2026).
4. The waste is transported in confined conditions (art. 32) and ends up in an authorised facility.

If the fibre cement is on a shared roof or terrace, the decision and the contract lie with the owners’ association.

Where removed fibre cement ends up

Any asbestos material removed from its original location is hazardous waste (art. 30.1). It must be deposited in controlled hazardous-waste landfills or, where the law allows, non-hazardous-waste landfills, or stored temporarily with authorised waste managers, including municipal recycling centres (deixalleries) authorised for this purpose (arts. 33 and 34).

• It is prohibited to deposit, abandon or bury it anywhere else, public or private, including rubble tips not authorised for asbestos (art. 34).
• Dumping asbestos waste outside authorised facilities is a very serious offence (art. 51.b), with fines of €30,001 to €100,000 (art. 54.1.c).
• Handling asbestos without meeting the requirements is a serious offence (art. 52.d), with fines of €3,001 to €30,000 (art. 54.1.b).

The law’s own penalty regime will apply once its implementing decree is approved; until then, the general environmental penalty rules apply (seventh final provision). How household asbestos waste is handled will be set by regulation (art. 35.2).

Am I required to remove it?

Once asbestos has been identified, the owner must maintain the property and take the measures needed to remove it (art. 11.d). But the law sets no specific date: those obliged must remove asbestos within the binding deadlines set by the competent institutions (fourth additional provision). If you receive a removal order, failing to comply is a very serious offence (art. 51.d).

Having fibre cement does not stop you selling or renting either. If the property was built before 2002, the asbestos certificate will record it, its condition and the risk.

Grants for removal

Catalan public authorities must regularly offer support programmes, grants and subsidies for removal, simplify the procedures and advise on them (art. 26.1). For grants to owners and owners’ associations, the Catalan Government must take into account socio-economic vulnerability, old or run-down neighbourhoods and low-income households (art. 26.2).

The law also creates the Fund for the Eradication of Asbestos in Catalonia, which finances the detection, removal and management of asbestos (art. 23). Check the current calls at your town council and the Catalan Waste Agency. If you receive a grant, it will be recorded in the Land Registry when a sale is registered (seventh additional provision).

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