Asbestos Soil Remediation for a Homeowner in Moorooka

The Challenge: Contaminated Soil Left Behind After a Pool Excavation

A homeowner in Moorooka contacted Total Asbestos to remove asbestos-contaminated soil stockpiled beside a newly completed swimming pool. The soil had come out of the pool excavation and contained asbestos cement sheeting fragments throughout. The pool contractor was not licensed to handle contaminated material, so the pool was finished first and the stockpile was left on site for a licensed removalist to deal with afterwards.

The homeowner knew the asbestos was there and wanted it gone. The real problem was access. The driveway was about three metres wide, but the entry into the backyard narrowed to an estimated 1.5 metres. The stockpile sat at the rear of the property while any removal truck had to stay at the front. Nothing could be loaded straight from the stockpile into a truck.

Planning the Work Around Restricted Access

Before mobilising, Total Asbestos visited the property to assess the stockpile and the access route. That inspection settled the equipment: a three-tonne excavator and a Bobcat, both narrow enough to pass through the backyard entry, and a skip truck instead of one of the company’s larger semi-trailers.

The job was set up for a four-person crew, two machine operators, an asbestos supervisor and a truck driver, so the team could excavate at the rear, transfer material to the front and load it for removal without anyone standing idle. Before the crew arrived, the homeowner had placed plastic sheeting over the new pool.

Removing 30.9 Tonnes From the Backyard

The three-tonne excavator handled the contaminated soil at the rear of the property. The Bobcat collected the material and ran it along the concrete access path to the skip truck at the front. The layout meant repeated trips and extra handling between excavation and loading, but the crew still completed the removal in one working day.

Water was used throughout to suppress dust. Larger loose asbestos cement fragments were picked up and bagged so machinery would not run over and crush them along the transport route. Barrier tape marked the work zone to restrict entry. Each skip was lined with black plastic before loading; once full, the plastic was folded over the material and sealed for transport.

In total, 30.9 tonnes of contaminated soil were removed and transported to BMI at Stapylton, with the quantity recorded across two waste tracking certificates.

Finishing the Area and Obtaining Clearance

After the stockpile was gone, the crew levelled the rear area with the three-tonne excavator at the homeowner’s request and moved several rocks to leave the yard arranged the way the homeowner wanted it.

Removal work finished at about 4 pm on Friday 18 September 2026. An occupational hygienist attended at 6 am the following morning to carry out a visual clearance inspection. The homeowner received an asbestos clearance certificate following that inspection, covering the rear area where the contaminated soil had been.

The Outcome for the Homeowner

The unwanted stockpile was removed, the yard was levelled and the rear soil area was visually cleared the following morning. The homeowner said they were happy the work was finished.

Have asbestos-contaminated soil left behind after an excavation?

This is the most common residential soil job we see: a pool, a retaining wall or a landscaping dig turns up fibro fragments, and the contractor cannot legally remove the spoil. Our asbestos soil remediation service covers the site visit, the right-sized machinery, licensed disposal with waste tracking certificates and the hygienist’s clearance. Contact Total Asbestos to discuss your property, access and removal requirements.