Asbestos management guidelines

Abstract

Asbestos has a number of uses in building construction, mainly insulation. It can be found in lagging and fire retardant materials. All forms of asbestos are confirmed cancer causing materials, mostly affecting the respiratory system. Diseases caused by asbestos may not show for 10 to 50 years after exposure. The most dominant usage of asbestos in the Pacific, is in asbestos cement sheeting used for building materials, and to a much lesser extent, insulation around boilers and associated pipes. Asbestos release occurs when the material has been damaged or when buildings are being demolished. Asbestos disposal is mostly through uncontrolled dumping at illegal dumping sites across small Pacific Island Countries and also in controlled burial sites, generally without the proper measures in place. This is not suitable and proper management is needed when disposing of asbestos, to protect people from further exposure to asbestos fibres.