Abstract
Asbestos, in its natural state in the ground, poses a minimal risk to humans. This chapter discusses the nature of the risk which develops when Asbestos is mined, processed, and used and then subject to damage from hazards such as earthquakes, cyclones, floods, or tsunamis. The chapter explores how the presence of Asbestos-containing products, principally used for construction, and damage to the built environment by these hazards can significantly increase the threat from Asbestos to human health, with a high level of delay in negative health outcomes following even slight exposure. The chapter discusses current practice to address the Asbestos-disaster risk in relief and recovery, noting that these efforts may face challenges with funding and sustainability beyond the initial disaster response. The chapter outlines a process to address the Asbestos-disaster risk in preparedness and risk reduction, with an emphasis on raising awareness as to the nature of, and measures to address, this risk. The chapter concludes with a set of criteria for identifying where Asbestos-disaster risk reduction efforts should be targeted and calls for further work to reduce the risk from Asbestos as a result earthquakes, cyclones, floods, or tsunamis.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Similar content being viewed by others
Notes
- 1.
See International Ban Asbestos Secretariat, http://www.ibasecretariat.org/. Accessed 20 October 2021
- 2.
Small levels of production occurred in other countries, but the information available suggests the cited countries have been the most significant producers over time, even as some, e.g., Australia, Canada, have stopped production at present.
- 3.
Cost estimates of $12.86/ft2 (.09m2) to $24.97/ft2 (.09 m2) are reported for the United States in test cases of total demolition (2009 USD) (Wilmoth et al. 2009).
- 4.
http://www.ibasecretariat.org/. Accessed 20 October 2021
- 5.
See Words into Action guidelines: National disaster risk assessment https://www.undrr.org/publication/words-action-guidelines-national-disaster-risk-assessment, Accessed 15 November 2021.
- 6.
- 7.
A “Cluster” is a part of the humanitarian assistance coordination system, with each Cluster focusing on a specific sector or post-disaster intervention, e.g., shelter, health, or education.
References
Asbestos Awareness (n.d.) Renovating? Go slow. Asbestos is a no go. https://Asbestosawareness.com.au/asbestos-products-database/product-list/. Accessed 18 Oct 2021
Colombo Gazette (2016) Production of asbestos to be banned in Sri Lanka from 2024. https://colombogazette.com/2016/09/07/production-of-asbestos-to-be-banned-in-sri-lanka-from-2024/. Accessed 19 Oct 2021
Department of Health (n.d.) Common asbestos-containing products. State of Minnesota. https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/environment/Asbestos/products.html. Accessed 18 Oct 2021
Development Initiatives (2021) Chapter 2 in global humanitarian assistance report 2021. https://devinit.org/resources/global-humanitarian-assistance-report-2021/chapter-two-humanitarian-and-wider-crisis-financing/. Accessed 14 Oct 2021
Frank A, Joshi T (2014) The global spread of Asbestos. Ann Glob Health 80(4):257
Government of Australia (2017) Review of asbestos management practices in disaster planning. https://www.Asbestossafety.gov.au/sites/asea/files/documents/2018-01/ASEA_Reports_Asbestos_and_disaster_planning_Jan18.pdf. Accessed 16 Oct 2021
Health and Safety Executive UK (2017) Asbestos essentials: equipment and method sheets. https://www.hse.gov.uk/Asbestos/essentials/index.htm. Accessed 16 Oct 2021
Hodgkin D (2020) Personal conversation
Indonesian Bureau of Statistics (2018)
Ingham J (2013) Chapter 6 - Concrete products. In: Ingham J (ed) Geomaterials under the microscope. Academic Press, Amsterdam, pp 121–127. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-407230-5.50014-5. Accessed 19 Oct 2021
Kamp DW, Weitzman SA (1999) Occasional review: the molecular basis of Asbestos induced lung injury. Thorax 54(2):638–652
Kazan-Allen L (2020) Asbestos profile. International Ban Asbestos Secretariat, Indonesia. http://ibasecretariat.org/search_item.php?l0=8+56+934 &l1=9+29+368&l2=10+22+468&l3=11+16+139&l4=12+298+674&l5=14+389+1055&l6=15+817+1215&l7=16+32+405&f=prof_indonesia.php. Accessed 19 Oct 2021
LaDou J, Castleman B, Frank A, Gochfeld M, Greenberg M, Huff J, Joshi T, Landrigan P, Lemen R, Myers J, Soffritti M, Soskolne C, Takahashi K, Teitelbaum D, Terracini B, Watterson A (2010) The case for a global ban on Asbestos. Environ Health Perspect 118(7):897
Office for Outer Space Affairs (n.d.) Risks and disasters. UN-SPIDER knowledge portal. https://www.un-spider.org/risks-and-disasters. Accessed 13 June 2022
PacWaste (n.d.) The state of asbestos in the pacific, secretariat of the pacific regional environment program. https://www.sprep.org/attachments/pacwaste/The_State_of_Asbestos_in_the_Pacific.pdf. Accessed 18 Oct 2021
Peopels Training and Research Centre (2017) India: national asbestos profile. http://ibasecretariat.org/india-final-nap-25-4-17.pdf. Accessed 19 Oct 2021. Occupational and environmental health network India
Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (2009) The built environment professions in disaster risk reduction and response, a guide humanitarian agencies. Max Lock Centre, University of Westminster, London
Selikoff I, Lee D (1978) Asbestos and disease. Academic Press, New York. https://www-sciencedirect-com.proxyau.wrlc.org/science/article/pii/B9780126360509500064?via%3Dihub. Accessed 20 Oct 2021
Shelter Centre and ProAct Network (2015) A brief guide to asbestos in emergencies: safer handling & breaking the cycle. https://gisf.ngo/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/2074-Shelter-Centre-and-Pro-Act-Network-A-Brief-Guide-to-Asbestos-in-Emergencies-Safer-Handling-and-Breaking-the-Cycle.pdf. Accessed 16 Oct 2021
Ukraine Environmental Study Group (2022) Ukraine, environment and humanitarian assistance session 10 May 2022, Humanitarian Networks and Partnerships Weeks
UNEP/OCHA Joint Environment Unit (2011) Disaster waste management guidelines. https://www.unocha.org/publication/disaster-waste-management-guidelines. Accessed 16 Oct 2021
UNEP/OCHA Joint Environment Unit (2020) Asbestos and humanitarian response – a life-threatening humanitarian challenge, session summary, humanitarian networks and partnerships week, asbestos and humanitarian response – a life-threatening humanitarian challenge (Co-Authored by the Environment Community of Practice, Global Shelter Cluster). https://eecentre.org/resources/Asbestos-and-humanitarian-response-a-life-threatening-humanitarian-challenge/. Accessed 16 Oct 2021
USGS (2021) Advance data release of the 2020 annual tables. https://prd-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/atoms/files/myb1-2020-asbes-adv.xlsx. Accessed 18 Oct 2021
Virta R (2006) Worldwide asbestos supply and consumption trends from 1900 through 2003. Circular 1298. U.S. Geological Survey. https://pubs.usgs.gov/circ/2006/1298/c1298.pdf. Accessed 18 October 2021
Wilmoth R, Drees L, Kominsky K, Shaul G, Cox D, Eppler D, Barrett W, Hall F, Wagner J (2009) Comparison of the alternative Asbestos control method and the NESHAP method for demolition of Asbestos-containing buildings. US Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC
World Health Organization (2012) Asbestos (Chrysotile, amosite, crocidolite, tremolite, actinolite and anthophyllite). International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) Working Group on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans. Arsenic, Metals, Fibres and Dusts. Lyon (FR): International Agency for Research on Cancer. IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans, No. 100C
World Health Organization (2018) World health association resolution 60, 26
World Wildlife Fund/US (2018) Debris management considerations cyclone Gita – Tonga, 21 February 2018. https://envirodm.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/GRC_Request_Tonga-Debris_Feb-2018_Final.pdf. Accessed 10 Nov 2021
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2023 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Kelly, C., Hodgkin, D. (2023). Reducing the Risk from Asbestos in the Built Environment During Natural Hazard Events. In: D'Amico, S., De Pascale, F. (eds) Geohazards and Disaster Risk Reduction. Advances in Natural and Technological Hazards Research, vol 51. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-24541-1_6
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-24541-1_6
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-031-24540-4
Online ISBN: 978-3-031-24541-1
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceEarth and Environmental Science (R0)