KNYSNA NEWS - Many houses that contained asbestos cement materials were damaged or destroyed in the June fires.
When these materials are exposed to such intense heat it shatters into small fragments that may release microscopic asbestos fibres into the air.
Prolonged exposure to high concentrations of the fibres may be a health hazard to humans and animals.
With this in mind, Eden District municipality (Eden DM) appointed AirCheck, an independent approved asbestos inspection authority to evaluate levels in the air in Knysna.
Samples were collected from 18 to 20 November 2017, which included three sampling sites in Knysna and three in the Bitou area.
In the absence of a definitive standard for air-borne environmental asbestos fibres, a reference sample was collected in Storms River, approximately 80km to the east of Knysna.
Guidelines published by the World Health Organisation (WHO) were also used as a reference.
The results show that the levels measured in Knysna and Bitou were within the WHO expected level for urban areas and within range of the Storms River reference sample.
Asbestos levels were lower than the previous measurement period, in August 2017.
Property owners in Knysna and Bitou must, nevertheless, ensure that asbestos fibre levels are kept to a minimum.
For this reason, it is imperative that contaminated building rubble is handled and disposed of only by the Department of Labour’s registered asbestos contractors.
Eden DM will conduct further air quality samples during December, as well as in January and February 2018, to monitor any potential increase, and the public will be kept informed of the outcomes of the results.
* For assistance/information, contact Johan Compion (manager: municipal health and environmental management) on jcompion@edendm.gov.za / 044 803 1525 / 082 803 5161.
Read related articles:
- Asbestos pollution: Knysna safe for now
- What to do with your asbestos
- Asbestos threat gets official attention
- Asbestos in half of destroyed Knysna properties
- Beware of asbestos in rubble
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