Asbestos Survey in Brussels

Asbestos Survey in the Brussels-Capital Region

Asbestos was used extensively in Belgian construction between the 1950s and 1998, when it was banned. Prized for its insulating and fire-retardant properties, it is now recognised as a confirmed carcinogen (Group 1 of the IARC). Inhalation causes serious conditions: asbestosis, pleural mesothelioma, and lung cancer.

In Brussels, where a large proportion of the housing stock dates from before 1998, the likelihood of asbestos being present in an older building is high. Our firm carries out asbestos identification surveys in compliance with federal and regional regulations, designed to identify asbestos-containing materials (ACM) and assess the risk to occupants.

Regulatory Framework

Federal Regulations

The Royal Decree of 16 March 2006 on the protection of workers against risks related to asbestos exposure requires a mandatory asbestos inventory in places of work. This inventory must be carried out by a qualified person and updated regularly.

Brussels Regional Regulations

In the Brussels-Capital Region, specific obligations include:

• Jointly-owned buildings: An asbestos inventory of common areas is mandatory for buildings in co-ownership constructed before 2001.
• Renovation works: Before any demolition or renovation project affecting materials that may contain asbestos, a prior survey is mandatory.
• Public buildings: A full inventory is mandatory.

Regulatory Developments

Belgium is progressively moving towards an asbestos eradication plan with a target horizon of 2040. The Flemish Region has already made an asbestos certificate mandatory for all sales. The Brussels Region may follow suit in the coming years.

Where Is Asbestos Found in a Brussels Building?

Asbestos is present in a wide range of materials and applications:

• Roofing: Fibre-cement slates (Eternit brand), gutters, sarking.
• Façade: Fibre-cement cladding, expansion joints.
• Floors: Vinyl tiles (flexible or semi-rigid), adhesives, screeds.
• Insulation: Spray-applied coatings on metal structures, lagging on pipework and boilers, insulation in flue ducts.
• Partitions and ceilings: Fibre-cement boards, sprayed plaster, suspended ceilings.
• Technical installations: Boiler seals, ventilation ducts, chimney aprons.

Types of Asbestos Survey

Identification Inventory (pre-sale or management)

A systematic visual inspection of the building, identification of suspect materials, and laboratory sampling and analysis where necessary. The report classifies each material according to its state of preservation and potential to release fibres.

Pre-Works Survey (PWS)

More thorough than the identification inventory, the PWS is mandatory before any demolition or renovation project. It identifies all ACMs within the works perimeter, including those accessible only through destructive investigations (probe sampling).

Common Areas Inventory (jointly-owned buildings)

An inventory specific to the common areas of a jointly-owned building: stairwells, cellars, roof, façade, boiler room, and service ducts.

Report Contents

• Location plan: Precise location of identified materials on the building plan.
• Material data sheets: For each ACM identified: nature, location, state of conservation, friability, and risk level.
• Laboratory results: Reports from the accredited laboratory (where sampling has been carried out).
• Risk classification: According to the regulatory assessment grid.
• Recommendations: Leave in place with monitoring, encapsulation, or removal according to the risk level.

How the Assignment Works

1. Initial contact: Description of the property, context (sale, works, co-ownership), quotation within 24 hours.
2. Inspection: Systematic survey of the building by a trained inspector. Sampling where necessary. Duration: 1 to 4 hours depending on the size of the building.
3. Analysis: Samples are sent to an accredited laboratory. Results within 3 to 5 working days.
4. Report: Delivery within 7 to 12 working days of the inspection.

Discover our other diagnostics and certificates, the EPC and cadastral income. For a valuation of your property, consult our real estate appraisal services. Contact us for a quotation.