Airborne and dangerous

Wednesday, June 04, 2008

The fact that asbestos fibres are invisible must not mean that the growing problem of asbestos related death remains hidden, urges Chartered Fellow of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health Nigel Bryson.

The Health and Safety Executive has recently launched its Asbestos: The Hidden Killer campaign.¹ Targeting workers involved with building maintenance and renovation, the campaign underlines that there is still much about the asbestos legacy that remains hidden from public perception. If asbestos material is disturbed or deteriorates over time fine fibres become airborne and these can easily penetrate deep into the lung. This is the health issue.

In sufficient quantity over time, the invisible fibres can cause asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma – a specific cancer that grows in the fine lining of the lung or stomach. Mesothelioma deaths have risen from 153 in 1968 to 2,037 in 2005. The HSE estimates that around 4,000 people a year are currently dying from asbestos related diseases and that asbestos is the greatest single cause of work related death in the UK. Deaths will peak between the years 2011-2015. While this reflects historical exposure, the risk remains real today.

In 1985, the UK banned the use of blue and brown asbestos, and in 1999 white asbestos. In 2005, all European Member States were required to introduce similar bans. The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006 (CAR 2006) consolidated regulations banning the import and use of all forms of asbestos and continued to ban the second-hand use of asbestos products, such as asbestos cement sheets and tiles, or panels that have been painted or plastered with material containing asbestos. While this stopped new asbestos use in buildings, millions of existing buildings are estimated to contain asbestos. This situation leaves the following two problems:
Asbestos in buildings
The protection of those who work on asbestos is covered by CAR 2006. UK legislation was amended to take the European Asbestos Worker Protection Directive into account in the CAR 2006. These and the associated Approved Codes of Practice and guidance notes identify the controls needed when people work on, remove and dispose of asbestos materials. They also include a requirement on dutyholders in non-domestic premises to manage any asbestos that may be in the buildings for which they are responsible. If existing asbestos containing materials are in good condition, they may be left in place but their condition needs to be monitored.

Asbestos insulation
and asbestos insulation board will normally require licensed contractors to work on or remove it. Other materials such as asbestos cement or textured decorative coatings are likely to be unlicensed. However, if these materials are worked on or removed, the work must be done in accordance with the controls identified in the CAR 2006. The HSE has produced 'Asbestos Essentials'² to identify controls on various common tasks where licensed contractors are not necessary.

Disposal of asbestos
European directives covering environmental issues have been very influential on the safe disposal of asbestos waste. The European Waste Catalogue³ has five sections that include asbestos and asbestos waste materials and was produced to give guidance to the Waste and Hazardous Waste Directives⁴. These include asbestos from: electrolysis, asbestos processing, waste from asbestos cement manufacture, metallic packaging that may contain asbestos, from brake pads, from electrical equipment, soil contaminated with asbestos and insulation materials, and asbestos containing construction materials.

Asbestos waste is restricted to sites that dispose of only this material in separate landfill cells. The materials are sealed within the cells so that asbestos fibres are not released into the atmosphere. The operation of such sites is regulated through the EU Landfill Directive⁵. The controls governing asbestos waste disposal are designed to prevent fibres from escaping into the environment from site to landfill.

When transferring industrial and commercial asbestos materials from buildings to a landfill site, they must be consigned to appropriately licensed or permitted sites. This means that the materials must be double bagged and labelled as asbestos materials. Only licensed waste carriers can be used to transport industrial or commercial asbestos waste.

Asbestos from domestic premises should be either double wrapped in plastic sheeting or placed in double bags and sealed. Local authorities should have arrangements for such waste to be picked up and disposed of at licensed or permitted sites. A charge would normally be made.

There is concern that, because of the tight controls applying to asbestos, they may be ignored. Many cases of fly tipping, illegal dumping of asbestos, exposing workers and the public to asbestos fibres have been recorded. The fact that asbestos fibres are invisible must not mean the problem remains hidden. Failure to apply the control measures when working with or disposing of asbestos will mean future generations facing a risk that has already been known for previous generations.

1 www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos/campaign/index.htm.
2 www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos/essentials/index.htm.
3 Council Decision 2000/532/EC.
4 Council Directive 75/442 EEC and the Council Directive 91/689/EEC.
5 Council Directive 1999/31/EC of 26th April 1999 on the landfill of waste.