Asbestos

Asbestos consists of different, elongated fibers which occur in nature as natural mineral fibers. Asbestos has been banned in Switzerland since 1989, but is still used in buildings and industrial applications. In nature it occurs mainly in North and South America and Russia. Canada has shut down its asbestos mines since 2012, but it is still mined in Russia, Kazakhstan, China, Brazil and other countries. World production has been relatively stable in recent years and was around 1.2 million tons in 2021. There is a ban on asbestos in almost 70 countries worldwide, but there are large industrialized countries such as the USA (only partial ban), India, China, Brazil and Russia not participating.

 The SUVA has already confirmed more than 2000 asbestos deaths, but the number of unreported cases is likely to be significantly higher.

WHERE DOES ASBESTOS OCCUR?

According to SUVA, asbestos mainly occurred in the following 5 applications until 1989:

• Floor, wall and ceiling coverings

• Roofs, windows, facades

• Electrical installations

• Insulations

• Fireproofing

 Many of these products are still installed today.

Asbestoses

Asbestos in itself is not hazardous to health - so even permanently installed products containing asbestos are not hazardous to health, but only if they are machined and asbestos fibers are released. This is especially the case when material containing asbestos is treated with high-speed rotating machines. If fibers with a maximum diameter of 3 µm, a length of more than 5 µm and a length to diameter ratio of at least 3:1 are produced during the processing of asbestos, then these fibers can penetrate into the alveoli. Even a small amount of exposure can subsequently trigger asbestosis. This can subsequently lead to fibrosis and lung cancer. A major problem is the time lag between exposure to asbestos fibers and the onset of disease. This is typically between 15 and 50 years.

How can I protect myself and where can I test for asbestos?

In general, it is advisable not to undertake any renovation work on installation parts suspected of having asbestos that were installed before 1990. This includes, among other things, floor coverings, roofs, insulation material and fire protection.

✪ To be on the safe side, the suspicious material should be subjected to an asbestos analysis in advance. Follow the enclosed detailed instructions for taking the asbestos sample to avoid exposure to the asbestos fibers.

What to do if tested positive for asbestos?

 If you've found asbestos and want to remove the components, it's time to leave it to the specialists. There are over 270 SUVA-approved asbestos removal companies in Switzerland. Some of these companies also offer additional asbestos courses.

Asbestos consists of different, elongated fibers which occur in nature as natural mineral fibers. Asbestos has been banned in Switzerland since 1989, but is still used in buildings and industrial applications. In nature it occurs mainly in North and South America and Russia. Canada has shut down its asbestos mines since 2012, but it is still mined in Russia, Kazakhstan, China, Brazil and other countries. World production has been relatively stable in recent years and was around 1.2 million tons in 2021. There is a ban on asbestos in almost 70 countries worldwide, but there are large industrialized countries such as the USA (only partial ban), India, China, Brazil and Russia not participating.

The SUVA has already confirmed more than 2000 asbestos deaths, but the number of unreported cases is likely to be significantly higher.