Could the vinyl or lino in my NZ house contain asbestos?

Does old vinyl flooring in New Zealand contain asbestos?

Some does and some does not, and you cannot tell by looking. WorkSafe's diagrams of where asbestos is commonly found name "vinyl floor tiles or sheet vinyl floor coverings" in commercial buildings and "vinyl flooring" in homes (WorkSafe, Where asbestos can be found). New Zealanders call almost any sheet floor "lino", so the same advice applies whatever the floor is called.

What year did asbestos stop being used in vinyl flooring in NZ?

There is no official year, and that is the honest answer. WorkSafe's date for buildings is 1 January 2000: built before then, the building "probably contains some asbestos materials", and after it the risk is lower. Asbestos-containing products could also still be imported until the Imports and Exports (Asbestos-containing Products) Prohibition Order 2016 took effect on 1 October 2016.

So a floor laid in the 1980s or 1990s cannot be ruled out on its date. You will see overseas rules of thumb quoted, usually from Australia, that pick a year in the 1980s. They describe another country's supply chain, not New Zealand's, and they are not a reason to skip a test.

Where in a vinyl floor is the asbestos?

• The tile or sheet itself. Vinyl floor tiles are a common form.
• The backing. Sheet vinyl often has a paper or felt-like backing layer that stays stuck to the floor when the top lifts.
• The adhesive. WorkSafe's own safe-work-practice sheets include one for removing floor tiles and mastic, the black or brown glue under them.
• Layers. Older floors are often laid over older floors. A kitchen can have two or three generations stacked up.

That is why one sample may not be enough. If there are layers, or tiles and backing, the surveyor may sample each one. Extra samples at the same visit are $85 each on top of the $249 test.

Is asbestos vinyl dangerous if I leave it alone?

Vinyl in good condition that nobody is cutting, sanding or scraping is generally managed where it is. The risk comes from disturbance: lifting it, grinding the adhesive off the slab, sanding the backing, or cutting it to fit. Many people choose to leave the old floor in place and lay a new floor over it, which avoids disturbing it at all. If you go that way, write down what is under there so the next person to lift the floor knows.

Can I lift old lino myself?

As a homeowner working on your own home, the regulations do not bind you, but WorkSafe advises against doing asbestos work yourself. If you pay anyone, including a flooring installer, they become a PCBU and the rules apply to them: more than 10 m² of non-friable asbestos needs a Class B or Class A licence, and any friable asbestos needs Class A. A kitchen and dining floor can pass 10 m² quickly. Can I remove asbestos myself? and the job classes set out where the lines sit.

Whether a particular backing or floor is friable is a call for the surveyor and the laboratory, not a website. It decides which licence class the removal needs.

What should I do before replacing the floor?

1. Check the date. Laid before 2000, or you do not know? Treat it as possibly asbestos.
2. Do not lift a corner to look underneath. That is the disturbance you are trying to avoid.
3. Have a surveyor sample the top layer, the backing and the adhesive as needed. Book a test.
4. If it is clear, carry on. If it is positive, decide between covering it and having it removed, and get a fixed removal quote if removal is the plan.
5. Keep the lab report with the house records. It answers the question for whoever comes next.