Asbestos removal in an Italian condominium: duties and costs

Asbestos removal in an Italian condominium is a topic that affects many buildings built before the 1990s, when the material was widely used in roofs, flues, pipes and tanks. Asbestos is dangerous when the fibres disperse into the air, that is when the material is deteriorated or friable. Knowing when the work is mandatory, who decides it and how the cost is allocated is essential for the administrator and the owners.

The applicable law

The main reference is Law no. 257 of 27 March 1992, which banned in Italy the extraction, production, marketing and use of asbestos. However, the law did not impose a mandatory and general removal of what was already installed. The protection of workers from exposure is governed by legislative decree 81/2008, while disposal follows the rules on hazardous waste.

When asbestos removal in a condominium is mandatory

The duty to remove asbestos in a condominium does not arise from the mere presence of the material. It becomes a duty when the asbestos is damaged, friable or otherwise in a condition that disperses fibres, because in that case there is a concrete health hazard. When instead the material is compact and in good condition, the law does not require immediate removal, but calls for controlled management with monitoring over time.

The methods of intervention

There is no single way to remediate asbestos. The choice depends on the state of the material and the type of item, and must be entrusted to specialised firms.

• Removal: definitive elimination of the material, with subsequent disposal at an authorised landfill.
• Encapsulation: application of products that bind the fibres and prevent their dispersion.
• Confinement: creation of a barrier that separates the asbestos from occupied spaces.

Removal is the only solution that eliminates the problem at the root, but it is also the most invasive and costly. Encapsulation and confinement reduce the immediate risk, but they require periodic checks and do not free the building of the material.

Management and monitoring duties

Even when removal is not required, whoever is responsible for the building must manage asbestos safely. This means identifying and mapping the materials present, assessing their state of preservation and scheduling periodic checks to catch deterioration in time. In a condominium this responsibility falls on the administrator for the common parts, who must keep the documentation, inform owners and act as soon as signs of decay appear. Underestimating a material that is crumbling is among the most frequent causes of liability.

• Identify and map the asbestos-containing materials in the building.
• Periodically assess their state of preservation.
• Schedule the checks and document their results.
• Inform owners and occupants about the presence of the material.

Who decides and how

When asbestos affects common parts, such as a roof or a shared flue, the decision is up to the meeting, which resolves on the work and awards the contract. Since it is often extraordinary maintenance of significant extent, the required majority must be checked. In case of serious and immediate danger the administrator can order the necessary urgent works, then reporting to the meeting.

Cost allocation

The costs of remediation on common parts are allocated among all owners based on the thousandths of ownership, unless different criteria apply related to the use or ownership of the item. If the asbestos is instead in a portion of exclusive ownership, the cost falls on the individual owner. On the pricing side, available estimates indicate an indicative cost that varies per square metre, depending on the type of work, the quantity and the accessibility of the site, to which transport and disposal are added.

Compliant disposal

Asbestos is hazardous waste. Transport must be carried out by operators registered with the National Register of Environmental Managers for the categories suitable for hazardous waste, and delivery must take place at landfills or plants authorised to receive it. The entire route is tracked by the required documents, which the administrator keeps as proof of correct execution. Before the works, a work plan submitted to the competent supervisory body is required.

Tax incentives

Asbestos removal works may fall, according to the requirements set by the law in force, among those eligible for the renovation deduction and, when the remediation is part of an energy efficiency intervention, for the Ecobonus. The incentives change over time, so it is worth checking updated rates and conditions with a professional before resolving on the works.

Managing the work with management software

Condominium management software helps govern the whole process of asbestos removal in a condominium: firms' quotes, the meeting resolution, the accounting of the works, the millesimal allocation of the cost and the archive of transport and disposal documents. Having everything tracked protects the administrator and makes the expense transparent to owners. AmministraPro lets you manage extraordinary works with automatic allocations and attached documentation. You can see how it works on the features page or compare the plans in the pricing section.