Asbestos?

[Hobsini]

We're having some building work done and returning to our house today we found the following piece of material outside (where the builders had been dumping some stuff).

This looks like asbestos cement board to me (due to honeycomb pattern) but I don't understand where this can have come from. They have only drilled through ceilings, walls and taken up a few floorboards. I have checked these areas and they seem to be as expected e.g. brick, plasterboard etc. Furthermore, the piece doesn't look like its been drilled etc. If anything it looks consistent with the asbestos roof material we had removed from an old shed recently and which was then demolished. We then had the drive done and I wonder whether this dug up some old pieces of roof material from when the shed was originally built.

What I want to know is:

1. Is this asbestos? - I think it is but do you agree (I know I can have it tested but the builders are back tomorrow).
2. Is it likely to have come from the house given the material and other evidence?
3. Is it more likely to have come from the outside/shed and it is coincidence we have found it today and near where the builders had been?

Where would this sort of asbestos cement have been used within a house? We are having our boiler moved hence drilling through walls and ceilings etc.

 

[Crystalclear]

http://www.fibreservices.co.uk/asbestos-found.php

 

[Hobsini]

Not sure how that helps. Have checked internet resources/pics already.

Need a view on whether this looks like asbestos and whether it is more likely to be from the outside or inside? As mentioned, I have checked the areas where the builders have worked and I can't see anywhere obvious for this to have come from. On the other hand, it is seems too much of a coincidence that we found it today.

Checking the link above there is nothing that points to this sort of cement being used in walls or plasterboard ceilings.

 

[Crystalclear]

Is it a possibility that while they were loading their vans, some of their rubbish fell out? Rubbish from another job maybe?

 

[Hobsini]

Unlikely but possible. It was found outside our front door which opens directly onto the new drive but is also where they sat the new boiler and various other bits and bobs for the job. We also weren't there for the whole day so not sure what else they took in or out of our property. I will ask them if they recognise the material from anything they worked on yesterday (today) though. My concern is that I don't want them to stop the job unnecessarily but I also don't want them to carry on if they are cutting or drilling through this stuff. I can get it tested but this will take a few days and even then it won't tell me where it came from.

What I really need is advice on the likelihood of this sort of material being found in brick walls or plasterboard ceilings. Our house was built in 1957 so the right era for ACM but I can't see any other evidence of this sort of material where they have worked and it sort of seems unlikely to me. It may not even be asbestos but it does look suspicious - I am no expert though. What seems more likely is that this has come from the area where we had asbestos roofing confirmed (and removed) previously. Just not sure how it got to our front door and why that happened the day the builders came to start this job - seems unlikely this is a coincidence as well.

Any advice greatly appreciated.

 

[kazuya]

ask ya builder

 

[^woody^]

I don't think you need the full CSI treatment.

Pick it up and put it in the bin. Or dig a little hole next to it and bury it.