Many older buildings in Kenya still have asbestos roofing sheets. Asbestos was once a popular roofing material, but it has since been declared hazardous.
Asbestos is most dangerous when it is broken, cut, drilled or crumbling, because tiny fibres are released into the air. These fibres can cause serious lung diseases, including asbestosis, mesothelioma and lung cancer, often many years after exposure.
Sheets that are intact and undamaged are much lower risk, but they should still be inspected, and never cut, drilled or broken.
Why you should not remove asbestos yourself
Removing, moving or disposing of asbestos is work for a trained, licensed team. Doing it yourself puts you, your family, your workers and your neighbors at risk, and it is against the law.
Asbestos waste must never be dumped, burned, broken up or reused, and may only be buried at a disposal site licensed by the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA).
Where asbestos is found
In older buildings, asbestos may be found in:
- roofing sheets
- gutters and downpipes
- ceilings
- floors and floor adhesives
- carpet underlay
- electrical casings
If you think you have asbestos
- Do not disturb it: do not break, cut, drill, sweep or move it.
- Keep children, workers and pets away from damaged material.
- Do not bury, burn or dump it.
- Call a licensed asbestos contractor to inspect it and advise you.
What a licensed contractor does
A licensed contractor inspects the site, agrees the work with you and gives you a quote. A trained team in protective equipment then removes the asbestos in a controlled way, wraps and labels it, and takes it to a NEMA-licensed disposal site. Once the old roof is off, a new roof can be fitted.
At Steen Agencies we run our own NEMA-licensed asbestos disposal site in Kaloleni, Kilifi County (licence NEMA/ENVIS/WM/LDS/0145), and we are registered with the National Construction Authority as a Category 4 Building Works Contractor. Our services pages explain each step in more detail.
Documents to ask for
Before work starts, ask your contractor for their NEMA licence number and their NCA registration, and whether they are licensed to transport asbestos waste. After disposal, ask for proof that the waste reached a licensed site. Steen gives every client a tracking document and a completion certificate.
What affects the cost
There is no fixed price for asbestos removal: every job is quoted after an inspection. The main things that affect the cost are:
- the size of the roof or the amount of material
- how easy the roof is to reach, and its height
- the distance to the licensed disposal site
- whether you also need a new roof
[OWNER TO CONFIRM: these cost factors]
Need help?
If you have asbestos roofing or think you might, contact us for an inspection and a quote. We reply within 24 hours.
Reviewed by: Dancan Njuguna, health, safty and site supervisor at Steen Agencies lmited on 21/10/2026
