It is estimated that 1 in 3 Australian homes still contain Asbestos. Unfortunately, the material that was so commonly used throughout the 1980’s is still causing problems to families all across Australia.
Now that the billions of dollars of compensation that James Hardies fund has paid out is not headline news there is a consensus among the masses that the problem has gone away.
However with 600 Australians being diagnosed with asbestos related mesothelioma each and every year there is still a great need for education about the dangers of Asbestos materials.
Groups like Asbestos Awareness are taking it upon themselves to bring the dangers of asbestos back to the forefront of Australian families’ thinking. Indeed they have a mock-up home that tours the country so that people can see first-hand where the danger lies in their own homes. Put simply if your home was built between 1950 and 1990 you are odds on to have a need for Asbestos removal.
It seems that the works of Asbestos Awareness is vital given the latest news stories about Asbestos being found or dumped. In Victoria, Timboon P-12 College was shut down after a Worksafe inspector found asbestos and peeling lead paint on site. This has prompted a move by the Victorian government to audit thousands of schools where potential asbestos risk reside.
Recently in the UK a Woman was fined for dumping Asbestos tiles near to a junior football teams change rooms. Upon being interviewed the woman advised police that she had mistaken the contents of the illegally dumped bags for cardboard.
Even if you are well educated in identifying and dealing with Asbestos there is still an apparent danger. In the Pilbara region of Western Australia, there are fears of Asbestos health issues in the wake of cyclone Christine. Residents and workers were put at risk when returning to homes and businesses that may have been damaged during the storm and therefore had asbestos sheeting or fibro ripped up and asbestos fibres released into the air.
So what does all this mean for the future of Asbestos in Australia?
Well put simply, there is a future need to deal with the issue. Younger generations still need to be educated about the dangers of DIY and Renovations when it comes to handling asbestos materials. Also, clear and concise advice needs to be forthcoming from Governments and Councils on how to deal with the danger and how best to engage in Asbestos removal.
If you think that you may have some asbestos in your house but are having trouble identifying it, visit a recent article we wrote titled; Tips for Identifying Asbestos in your home.
Thanks for reading,
R.O. Steel Roofing
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