Some 60% of Dutch rent-controlled housing contain asbestos, but this is mostly not dangerous unless drilled or damaged, Nos television reports.

The broadcaster bases its claim on a survey of 122 housing corporations carried out in the wake of this summer’s asbestos scare in Utrecht.
Removing all the asbestos from the country’s housing stock will cost an estimated €3.8bn, or €2,800 per dwelling, the broadcaster says. Translated nationwide, some 1.4 million homes may be affected.
Research
The broadcaster’s survey shows half the country’s housing corporations have drawn up an analysis of the asbestos situation and 20% are currently carrying out research. The rest have no idea if asbestos is present in their housing stock.
This summer hundreds of homes in the Utrecht district of Kanaleneiland had to be evacuated after workmen disturbed asbestos. Its use has been banned in construction since 1993.
Housing corporations told Nos when a house is vacated they carry out routine asbestos controls and remove any that is found. Most have also reserved funding to pay for the clean up.