Mr Fluffy in known in homes throughout the ACT and Canberra for all the wrong reasons. Mr Fluffy is the mysterious man who filled ACT and Canberra homes with asbestos insulation throughout the roof and cavities. While there was a $100 Million dollar clean-up plan in the late 1980s and early 1990s there is still a legacy of loose asbestos fibres throughout cavities where the asbestos removalists could not completely decontaminate.

It is understood that the asbestos clean-up and removal back then was primarily to ensure that the areas within normal occupancy would be reasonably safe. However over time, there is likely to be demolition, refurbishments and renovations that may uncover further loose asbestos insulation in wall cavities and the like.

The Canberra Times reports that hundreds of families in the ACT could face costs of six figures if they decide to remediate or demolish their house. It is reported that the ACT government has sent letters to affected home owners that:

“It is likely that some insulation material remains in these homes, including in places such as internal and external wall cavities, sub floor spaces and underneath cornices”.

Amosite asbestos is reported to have been identified. Amosite is an amphibole asbestos which is more toxic than chrysotile, however not as toxic as crocidolite asbestos.

It will be impossible to remove every asbestos fibre within these homes based in the ACT.  The only way to remove all the asbestos within these houses would likely be to demolish those houses in Canberra and start again. Although there may be fibres throughout the house it is unlikely that there would be detected when undertaking asbestos air monitoring to the National Occupational Health and Safety Commission (now Safe Work Australia) document “Guidance Note on the Membrane Filter Method for Estimating Airborne Asbestos Fibres 2nd Edition [NOHSC: 3003 (2005)].”