Buyers of brand new Australian houses can today be sure that they do not contain any form of Asbestos, but those buying homes built before the Asbestos ban in the 1980's can be absolutely sure that they are riddled with this form of building material.
Asbestos was once the "wonder product "! The typical suburban cottage had outer walls constructed of Asbestos/cement sheeting and this was usually the wall lining for the bathroom and laundry. Wet areas rested on thick Asbestos/cement sheeting and in the cheaper end construction it was used in corrugated form for roofing.
The Asbestos content in this old Asbestos/cement sheeting is relatively safe if it is not disturbed but the lack of new building sites and the price of all forms of housing has forced home buyers to purchase existing homes and undertake renovations. This is where the danger is greatest because in many cases this renovation work is carried out by the new home owner.
Where a licensed builder is involved, rigid laws come into force. Asbestos needs to be removed by a licensed Asbestos removal contractor who not only protects the workers but makes sure the sheeting is wet down, encased in plastic sheeting and disposed of at a licensed disposal point - and that costs a mint of money. Preparing an old home for demolition can cost many thousands of dollars just for the pre demolition Asbestos removal.
The danger for the unwary may come from such a minor renovation as installing a new door bell;. That may involve running a wire from the activator at the entrance to wherever the chime is located, but if the installer needs to drill a small hole in an Asbestos sheet this may liberate tiny fibres that can lodge in his or her lungs. That outcome could be - Mesothelioma, an Asbestos caused disease that results in a very unpleasant death.
The government Asbestos Safety and Eradication Agency estimates that there will be 19,400 new Mesothelioma deaths in Australia before the end of this century. There is an expectation that 58% of these will stem from industrial contact with the product, but the remaining 42% will be attributable to home renovators becoming contaminated.
What is distressing is the sheer magnitude of this problem. The vast stock of Australian homes is more than thirty years old and it is simply riddled with Asbestos, and often this is present in other than building product form. Insulation against the cold only became an issue about the middle of the twentieth century and Asbestos in the form of free flowing fibres was a cheap and popular solution. It was a form of reclaimed industrial waste, pulverised to break down into fibre form and pumped from tankers into the roof and walls of existing homes. The natural flexing of house frames in periods of high wind is allowing these loose fibres to escape into the internal airways. It is impossible to be safely removed and the usual outcome is a demolition.
One of the problems is lack of recognition of the danger by most home owners. In any older house any form of flat sheet product will most likely contain Asbestos and should be treated accordingly. At the very least, a renovator would be well advised to wear a simple breathing mask to prevent loose fibres from entering the lungs. No matter how small a renovation job, an evaluation of the risk of encountering Asbestos should be part of the task.
Unfortunately, just living in an older suburb delivers a risk when a house in the street changes hands - and renovation begins. Loose Asbestos fibres can float freely in the air and invade surrounding homes. It is worth remembering that there is no minimum contact when it comes to an Asbestos related death !
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