Asbestos in Lebanon
Anthesis Consulting Middle East details the issue of Asbestos in Lebanon and how recent events have further negatively affected residents in the city of Beirut.
Beirut, Lebanon
As the clean-up at the Beirut port continues, concerns have been raised by experts as to the content of the large dust clouds coming from the site of the blast.
On August 4th 2020, almost 3000 tons of ammonium nitrate exploded in the Beirut Port, killing over 200 people, damaging 40,000 buildings, making 300,000 residents homeless and causing somewhere in the region of $4.6 billion in damage to property and infrastructure (according to the World Bank).
Reports from expert investigators who visited site stated that Asbestos cement roof sheeting was present amongst the rubble and waste, however it is not uncommon for other types of Asbestos Containing Materials (ACMs) to be present in port buildings and warehouses. Asbestos Insulating Board (AIB), thermal Asbestos insulation, Asbestos gaskets, galbestos sheeting and other types of ACM are likely to have been in situ in the warehouses, grain silos and port buildings prior to the explosion.
Asbestos is a particularly common material for ports the world over and found heavily in ports in the Middle East and Africa – this is something Anthesis have witnessed firsthand. Its use is prevalent partly because it is a cheap construction material, and also because it has extreme heat resistant and fire proofing properties. As a result of the explosion, any ACMs that were present inside the buildings before their collapse and/or demolition would now form part of the rubble and debris currently being cleared away.
In fact World Health Organization (WHO) branded Asbestos warning signage can be found stating ‘As a result of the cleanup operations after the Beirut blast there may be an accumulation of asbestos-containing waste that will present a hazard to people in the local environment and those living in close proximity to the site of final disposal.’
Whilst the clean-up at the port, warehouses and the adjacent neighborhoods continues, huge visible clouds of dust pass in to and through the city – evidence of the plumes can easily be found posted on social media. The concern from these dust clouds has been noted by local air quality experts. Najat Saliba, head of the atmospheric and analytical lab at the American University of Beirut stated, ‘there are a lot of hazardous chemicals at the port, including asbestos,’ (The National, UAE – October 22nd, 2020). Charbel Afif, associate professor in air pollution and chairperson of the chemistry department at Universite Saint Joseph in Beirut, was quoted as saying ‘The risk is that people will develop cancer,’ (The National, UAE – 26th August 2020).
Those most at risk during the cleanup are residents, workers and volunteers working directly in and amongst the debris. Every time airborne dust is created there is the potential for Asbestos and other hazardous pollutants to become airborne and inhaled by those in the vicinity. With dry conditions, the pollutants can travel long distances into other occupied areas of the city, posing a threat to those far away from the immediate cleanup site. The situation is further worsened that by the fact the Asbestos related protective equipment (special filtered masks and coveralls) are in short supply due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Lebanon has a long and complicated history with Asbestos. For over 5 decades an Asbestos factory operated in the town of Shekka, finally closing in 2002. A majority Swiss held company known as Eternit, which operated Asbestos factories worldwide, stopped production at the factory following mounting public pressure. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS) data reports, thousands of tonnes of Asbestos have been imported into Lebanon since the 1950s.
With comparisons now being drawn with the cleanup operation at the World Trade Centre after the 2001 9/11 attacks, it is imperative that a comprehensive Asbestos management and removal plan be created and implemented by the relevant regulatory authorities. Where possible, Asbestos surveys (and inspections for other contaminants) should be undertaken by professional companies, and the findings fed back to the regulatory authorities and relevant stakeholders. Remediation and abatement should only be carried out by professional companies and individuals who have the relevant training, safe systems of work, competency and equipment to conduct the task.
The effects of Asbestos exposure can often take decades to manifest themselves, and unless a best practice approach for Asbestos management is implemented at the Beirut Port, the legacy of the explosion could linger on long after the rubble is cleared away.
Wetting down of demolition waste prior to remediation and Asbestos segregation
If you have any Asbestos related concerns, contact us to see how Anthesis Consulting Middle East can help you:
Charles Faulkner (Head of Environment, Health and Safety and Asbestos Team Leader)
Phone: +971 (0) 50 5541 320
Email: asbestos@anthesisgroup.com