Asbestos must be stripped from Dutch homes by 2024

The Cabinet has agreed with State Secretary Wilma Mansveld's (Infrastructure and Environment) proposal to ban asbestos roofs in the Netherlands from 2024. This means that the owners of buildings with asbestos roofing must remove it before then.

"We have to take this risk seriously and tackle it. I want to prevent people from being exposed to asbestos fibers." Mansveld said. "Recent fires in which asbestos particles ended up residential areas, underline the need for a ban."

The ban is limited to asbestos containing material which is in contact with the outside, such as slate roofing. Owners of asbestos roofs are responsible for removing the asbestos. A subsidy plan for this will take affect on January 1st next year, for which a minimum of 75 million euros will be available.

Asbestos within buildings, such has asbestos roof sheathing or insulation that is under the roof, will not be banned.