Some answers to common queries:

BULDING MATERIALS

Q1: Do high-density asbestos-containing products present risks of any significance to the general public?
Q2: Should asbestos products in buildings be removed?
Q3: How serious are the predictions about the dangers of exposure to levels of asbestos found either in the air or in public buildings with asbestos insulation?
Q4: What proportion of asbestos is used as a reinforce fibre in asbestos - cement products?
Q5: What is the potential risk to occupants of a building containing asbestos?
Q6: As the owner of a building , is it wise to remove asbestos products to appease the anti - asbestos lobbyists?
Q7: Does the presence of asbestos buildings affect the air breathed by the occupants?
Q8: Do dependable, economically feasible substitutes exist for many asbestos applications?

WATER PIPES

Q1: Is ingested asbestos in drinking water harmful?
Q2: Should installed asbestos - cement piping be replaced?
Q3: How safe is water conveyed in asbestos - cement piping?
Q4: Does asbestos cement piping offer advantages?
Q5: Are there better substitutes for asbestos cement pipes?

Q1: Do high-density asbestos-containing products present risks of any significance to the general public?

A1: High-density asbestos products such as asbestos-cement and asbestos Fibreboard in normal conditions and use should not create an unacceptable hazard, but care is needed to contain dust during installation and maintenance. Ref. The Reduction of Asbestos in the Environment, 1988. Jointly sponsored by UNERILO and W.H.O.

Q2: Should asbestos products in buildings be removed?

A2: Those who demand the removal and substitution of all asbestos- containing products, irrespective of fibre type or level of contamination, should note that removal can actually increase cumulative doses of dust to both workers and occupants and that substitutes for asbestos may be less innocuous than has generally been assumed. The campaign to eliminate all asbestos on the grounds that 'one Fibre can kill', besides being a cost absurdity, may actually increase risk as the fibre is released from the cement mixture. Ref. J Peto Report. 1988 W.H.O/LARC Scientific Publication No.90.

Q3: How serious are the predictions about the dangers of exposure to levels of asbestos found either in the air or in public buildings with asbestos insulation?

A3: A review of the evidence indicates that most exposure is to chrysotile asbestos and there are now published studies indicating that even workers with modest exposure to chrysotile asbestos do not develop mesothelioma or any other asbestos related disease. Ref. A. Churg (1993). Published in Annals Clinical Laboratories Science Report.

Q4: What proportion of asbestos is used as a reinforce fibre in asbestos - cement products?

A4: Asbestos - cement products (by weight) comprise approximately: 12 percent asbestos fibre : 20 percent water: 68 percent cement. The fibre is safely locked in the cement mixture and therefore represents no risk to human health.

Q5: What is the potential risk to occupants of a building containing asbestos?

A5: There does not appear to be sufficient justification on grounds of risk to the health of general occupants for arbitrarily removing intact asbestos containing material from well maintained buildings. Ref: Health Effects - Asbestos Research Report. 1991.

Q6: As the owner of a building, is it wise to remove asbestos products to appease the anti - asbestos lobbyists?

A6: Removal is often not a building owner’s best course of action to reduce asbestos exposure. Explain to the anti - asbestos campaigners that imposer removal can create a dangerous situation where none previously existed. Ref Managing Asbestos in Place. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1991. Asbestos replacements result in a dramatic increase in cost, without offering improved performance. Asbestos-cement still remains the roofing material with the best performance at the lowest cost. Ref. A.H. Sabouraud Technical and Economical Aspects of Substitutes vs Asbestos in Fibre - Cement Products.

Q7: Does the presence of asbestos buildings affect the air breathed by the occupants?

A7: We deem the risk which asbestos products poses to occupants to be insignificant. Ref: Ontario Royal Commission on asbestos, 1984.

Q8: Do dependable, economically feasible substitutes exist for many asbestos applications?

A8: Many of the alternate fibres and products are more costly with interior technical performance. A total ban of Asbestos technical performance. A total ban of asbestos is required for those products to gain a foothold on the market. The manufactures of alternate fibres and products would welcome such a development, however, the costs to society would be considerable. Ref. The Asbestos Institute Report. 1994.

Q1: Is ingested asbestos in drinking water harmful?

A1: There is no evidence that asbestos has any adverse effect on human health when ingested with drinking water. Ref: W.H.O press release no.17 of 1994.

Q2: Should installed asbestos - cement piping be replaced?

A2: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) does not believe that installed asbestos cement - pipe should be replaced or that its use should be discontinued. Ref: U.S. Federal Register, July. 22 1989.

Q3: How safe is water conveyed in asbestos - cement piping ?

A3: Asbestos - cement piping has been subjected in rigorous testing properly used, it seems to be satisfactory both in health terms and in the fibre it may release in water. Few other products have had such exhaustive testing. Thus the standard use of asbestos - cement pipes for conveying potable water would seem to create no health problems whatever in relation to human ingesting small quantities of fibre which might be released. Ref: The significance of asbestos in drinking water and the use of asbestos cement pipe. Dr. B.T.Commins, BSc. CCHem, FRSC, a renowned environmental health researcher.

Q4: Does asbestos cement piping offer advantages?

A4: Asbestos cement piping has the competitive edge over ductile iron and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe in 15mm to 400mm range, both in terms of economic advantages, such as purchase price and installation costs as well as technical advantages which effect operating and replacement costs. Ref: Asbestos - cement vs Other Pressure Pipes. A Cost Benefit analysis International conference on Asbestos Products Malaysia, 1991, by Dr. R. Kuntze.

Q5: Are there better substitutes for asbestos cement pipes?

A5: The most likely substitutes for the asbestos pipe, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and ductile from pipe also contain known carcinogen. Ref. U.S. Court of Appeal Division, October, 18 1991.

SOURCE: Turnnall Fibre Cement (Pvt.) Ltd.