The improper removal or disposal of asbestos heightens the risk of exposure and requires certified personnel to see its safely dealt with. If wettened, they can’t disperse as easily but once the moisture dries, then the fibres are prone to be airborne again. These fibres settle on every surface, easily stirred up and breathed in. If the pipe breaks or the gauze cracks, fibres can be released into the air as microscopic particles, smaller than dust. However, as the buildings start to age, the pipes, roofs, tiles become fragile and more likely to break and risk disturbing it.”įor example, the asbestos gauze used around the gunmetal piping for insulation in old buildings will eventually dry out due to years of heat passing through. “Asbestos, if allowed to remain encapsulated and undisturbed, isn’t dangerous.
It was an effective and cheap option for use in partitions, roofing materials, cement, tiles, tile adhesive, and pipes. Ferris also estimates over 60% of both public and residential buildings constructed before the 2000s would likely contain asbestos.Īs these older buildings get demolished or renovated, if not managed properly, they can expose unknowing workers, their families, and the immediate community to asbestos particles.įerris explained, “Asbestos has been mined for millennia for its heat resistant properties. “The biggest problem facing us is the lingering Asbestos-containing Materials (ACMs) that were used prominently in government buildings, council houses, schools, and hospitals,” said Ferris.Īny building renovated during the 1980s and 1990s, or any roof built before 1995 using concrete roof tiles are likely to consist of ACMs. Too many contractors and property owners believe the myth that because asbestos has been banned, it’s no longer a threat. Asbestos Site Survey Myth #1: The danger of exposure is gone These long-held assumptions and myths about asbestos continue the cycle of lax procedures and dangerous practices. “Before the ban, it was so widely used that anyone born before 1985 most likely has been exposed at some point in their lives.”įerris, who conducts hundreds of asbestos surveys and trainings every year, points to a lack of training and public knowledge about the menace it continues to pose. “Asbestos is particularly dangerous because related illnesses can take 15-50 years to manifest,” said Chris Ferris, health and safety consultant of Ayrton Group. In Ireland, a record number of asbestos-related fatalities are expected this year and in the near future.
However, it’s been more than 20 years since asbestos was banned in Ireland and across Europe, so why do we still need to talk about it? In the late 1970s, the global demand for asbestos began to slow as more countries began to take notice of the link between asbestos workers and a high disease rate. The earliest documentation about the harmful effects of asbestos can be traced back to Greek authors. Used in a variety of applications throughout history, asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that’s infamous for its association with serious and fatal illnesses including pneumoconiosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma.
The brake pads in your dad’s car were manufactured from it. The Vatican preserved their writings on paper made of it. The Greeks and Romans used to weave its fibres into clothing.