Comparison of the effects of use, protection, improper renovation and removal of asbestos products on the example of typical old office buildings

doi:10.21203/rs.3.rs-2483920/v1

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Comparison of the effects of use, protection, improper renovation and removal of asbestos products on the example of typical old office buildings

https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-2483920/v1

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published 21 Aug, 2023

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The study focused on old building types “LIPSK” and “BERLIN”, used since the 1960s in East Europe. The different operations of buildings were analysed: protection and maintenance of asbestos products, asbestos removal and inadvertent accidental damage to asbestos as a result of building renovation. Measurements of respirable asbestos fibres were carried out using the PCOM + PLM method and SEM-EDS. In the case of the accidental destruction of products, initial contamination was ≈ 7,000 f/m³. After some weeks of extreme ventilation, contamination decreased to about 500 f/m³. At the same time, in normally used that rooms, the pollution was above 4,000 f/m³. The average increase in pollution in a dozen or so similar buildings after asbestos removal in places beyond the work zones ranged from ≈ 1,700–2,700 f/m³ and lasted for one or two years. Old buildings, not renovated and in good condition, similar as protected by ACM products, maintained contamination at < 300 f/m³ for more than 10–20 last years. Due to the easy release of asbestos that occurs with any mechanical ACM destruction, there is an increased risk of occupant exposure in all areas of the building immediately following any renovation. Their implementation may be controversial.

Biological sciences/Cancer/Mesothelioma

Earth and environmental sciences/Environmental sciences/Environmental impact

Health sciences/Risk factors

Physical sciences/Engineering/Civil engineering

asbestos

buildings

faulty refurbishment

fibres

occupants

risk

1.1 Background

In the past, asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) were in widespread use. The growing demand for asbestos removal work, the demolition of old buildings, and the elimination of asbestos equipment and installations have resulted in an increase in errors and poor workmanship. These works have become more and more popular and routine. They are covered by applicable national programmes. Their quality and control are declining due to economic savings criteria. Simultaneously some countries lack air pollution limits after asbestos removal work are completed and/or during the building's use making it difficult to detect defective work.

1.3 The purpose of the study

Currently, the opinion among some asbestos specialists is that ACMs products must be absolutely removed instead of conserved. Others argue the solution to the problem should depend on every single object's characteristics. However wrong techniques and methods of asbestos removal are often caused by economic factors. In some cases, the errors made are difficult to detect and affect a threat to users and bystanders. The aim of the study was to estimate the effects of execution errors when working with asbestos-containing materials or their normal use. Contamination in zones distant (in place and time) from the work zones is shown. These are spaces that are not subject to the normal controls of contamination by asbestos fibres.

1.4 Literature review and relation to the author’s data

The values of airborne asbestos fibre concentrations in the literature present different levels in four categories of values according to Table 1a

Table 1

a List of asbestos fibre concentration ranges according to literature data.
Type of measurement		Indoor air measurement site-building		Analysis Method	Concentration range of asbestos fibre [f/ m³]	Literature Information [references]
I	III	Korean town-country school buildings, randomly selected		PCM	3,000–6,000	(Yoon et al. 2011) [1]
		General construction (including schools, residential buildings, and offices) in normal use		TEM	120–300 respirable. fibre 10,000 structure/m³ [s/m³]	(Lee et al. 2007) [2]
		The concentration of asbestos dust released from efficiently operating heating systems, using a soft insulation board, simulating operational disturbances - impacts, vibrations.		TEM	< 50	(Burdett 2016) [3]
II		Buildings with poor condition of asbestos products		TEM	730	(Report SRC, Inc. Denver, CO 2013) [4] (Darcey 2014) [5]
		Buildings with good condition of asbestos products		TEM	590	(Report SRC, Inc. Denver, CO 2013) [4] (Darcey 2014) [5]
		General construction		TEM	40 – 2,000, on average 200–500	(Health Effect Institute (Asbestos Research, Cambridge Upton A. C. 1991) [6]
		Zones with damaged ACM products in buildings		TEM	7,000–8,000 s/m³	(Reynolds et al.1994) [7].
III-IV		ACM roofing removal (suitable for asbestos cement boards with 5–10% asbestos) area samples		PCM	“Sample area" 600–16.000; "Samples individual" 9,000–30,000	(Lange, Thomulka 2000) [8]
		Destruction of asbestos and asbestos-cement products (plates); folding, manipulation of disassembled waste material (in dry techniques) in from	- roof	PCM	100,000–300,000	Brown (1997) [9]
			- facade panels		< 100,000
			- renovation of the cover roof		100,000–200,000
		Demolition of houses with asbestos-cement products (roofs, facades) within 1 month from the completion of works and measurements carried out during the project		PCM/ SEM	50,000–400,000	Kakoei (2014) [10]
		Measurement with individual dust meters when removing products,		PCM	3,000,000–20,000,000	Dufrense (2009) [11]
		Stationary measurements - in the "area" of working with asbestos		PCM	2,900,000	Dufrense (2009) [11]
		Estimated level of asbestos fibers exposure to workers during improperly performed disassembly works of ACM sprayed products using BALF		PCEM	An extrapolation considering the duration of exposure: 100,000,000	Dumortier (2012) [12]

Normally using buildings containing asbestos (use of good condition, undamaged products without removing, destroying, disturbing or processing them);

Buildings with damaged asbestos products;

Zone with ACM, during disassembly or repairs, the so-called "area" tests;

Individual asbestos fibre measurements, carried out at work stations (directly in the breathing zone).

Projected estimation of risk by ECHA (European Chemicals Agency) present Table 1b.

Table 1

b Evaluation and recommendation as an effect of work on Occupational Exposure Limit for asbestos, based on scientific reports for exposure limits to asbestos in the workplace.
* Air concentration of asbestos [F/m³]	Excess lifetime cancer risk (cases per 100,000 exposed)	ECHA report [13]
1,000	1.2
2,000	2.5

* Assuming exposure of 8 hours per day, 5 days per week, over a 40-year working career (starting at 20 years) and calculating risk until 89 years of age.

Potential risks of lower exposures in the context of the contaminants discussed are included in Appendix D as an extension of this problem.

The author distinguished a “V” category for asbestos airborne fibres exposition, which should be investigated. It is mostly a variable level of about several thousand f/m³ but it can be much higher. It is the result of errors at work in buildings containing ACM. It applies especially to people who are not directly involved in the work with ACM, but who are within the exposure range or near the work environment. The results of "faulty works" carried out using "dry" or “DIY” techniques were reported by Brown [9]. Other improper removal techniques were described by Dumortier [12]. These authors give a wide range of exposure levels. In the case of disassembly works with asbestos-cement products, concentrations of 0.1–0.6 f/ml were recorded, while in the case of incorrect removal of asbestos products using “spray on”, up to 100 f/ml were observed. The quoted literature values refer most often to personal measurements. Those are much larger than the results of "area" measurements, obtained in the used rooms, measured after some time has lapsed from finished work with asbestos.

Generally, the assumption was that, a damaged product (material) with asbestos presented a higher risk of asbestos fibre concentration in the internal air than in the outdoor air [5]. Such concentration was also determined by many factors, including the method of tests and the kind of removal of asbestos and dust from the internal space. The relationship between the magnitude of airborne asbestos fibre concentration and the scale of damage, [14] is conditioned by many individual building situations and building characteristics independently of ACMs condition.

The measured concentration of fibres varies depending on the activity of new dust emission sources, the time that has passed between their formation and sampling, and the building’s use, ventilation and generally their condition [14, 15]. Authors [9, 12] conclude that exposure to historically high airborne fibre levels prevailing half a century ago may still occur today when special work procedures are not strictly applied.

Materials and methods of analysis

2.1 Materials: Tested buildings

A typical lightweight construction of popular German buildings was chosen for the study. Types “BERLIN” and “LIPSK” were perfect candidates, as they are quite old and willingly subjected to renovation or demolition. The tested buildings are shown in Fig. 1

Building type “BERLIN” (Fig. 1a, 1b, 1c) is a small building, without a basement. It was produced in former East Germany in the middle of the twentieth century. This popular building contained asbestos materials in different places: curtain walls, exterior walls and partly in other partitions in the form of friable asbestos board elements. Buildings could differ in configuration and the number of ACMs used. There were fireproof boards, called "SOKALIT", and typical asbestos-cement boards, named “GLAGIT” used partly as non-friable façade cladding. On the inside, the building was finished with standard GK boards. Asbestos-containing products are in direct contact with the internal air. “SOKALIT” (a) boards contain approximately 18–20% chrysotile asbestos. The area of asbestos-containing material is ~ 820 m², which corresponds to approximately 15 tons of the product. On the outer wall, from the outside, there is non-friable asbestos–cement product containing 13% chrysotile asbestos, covered in corrugated sheet metal. Dozens of such buildings have been tested and described as part of ITB’s research [15, 16]. Two- or three-story buildings of this type designed for the construction back-up have a light, non-rigid (steel) structure, with external curtains and internal sandwich walls. This building construction and their ACM products are similar to its bigger "brother" building, type “LIPSK”. This type contains about 48 tons of similar ACM products (Fig. 1d, 1e).

The results of the tested buildings in the form of values concentrations of respirable asbestos fibres are presented in Tables 2–6 and in diagrams, Figs. 2–3.

Building type "BERLIN" was analysed in the following cases. Building no. 1: general renovation works were carried out in this building without planning for asbestos removal and without awareness of the accidental asbestos disturbance. Were ACMs slightly damaged? It seems that these activities were less destructive than removal, while at the same time having a random severity greater than normal operational damage. These included replacing windows, insulating the façade, interior painting and removal of previous paint along with sandblasting the walls, plastering cracks etc. The interior of building “BERLIN" no. 1 and the condition of the ACM after interrupted renovation, which corresponds to the results, are shown in photos a), b) c₁), d₁) in Appendix B1 and in photos a) – e) in Appendix B2. The results of tests on this building are presented in Table 2. For comparison, the same type of building, which has been properly renovated, building no. 2, is presented. The renovation was carried out to protect the external ACM boards (asbestos-cement boards) and the internal ACM boards, “SOKALIT”. As part of this renovation, the building was covered with polystyrene boards with a new façade from the outside. The plasterboard has been glued and painted to the internal SOKALIT boards. All works were started and completed in 2005. The results of the tests are shown in Table 3.

The same types of buildings nos. 3, 4 and 5 were in good condition and used for several years without significant ACM damage. The research was conducted during their normal operation over several years. The results are presented in Table 4.

The results of buildings nos. 3a and 4a are presented in Table 4. Damage of ACMs in buildings nos. 3a and 4a are similar to these in building no.1, however, the results are different.

Buildings type "LIPSK" are a good example of leakage and dispersion of asbestos fibres in the air inside a larger building due to various circumstances. A common one is a space above the suspended ceiling and between the layers of the sandwich walls. This allows dust to be easily transported throughout the building. The results of “LIPSK” analyses are presented in Table 5:

– Building no. 6, tested in 2022 after 20 years had passed from the completion of correct preservation of ACM. The renovation was carried out in the same way as in "BERLIN" 2.

– Buildings nos. 7, 8, 9 and 10 were tested during the removal of asbestos, outside the work zone, in places 30–100 m away from the works, and inside the building.

– Building no. 7 was tested during asbestos removal, outside the work zone, on the ground floor, about 80 m from the work zone, while the asbestos work was in progress on the V floor.

– Building no. 11 is connected to building no. 7. There was no ACM destruction work carried out. Tests were conducted during and after asbestos removal in building no. 7 and one week after the intensive weathering of building no. 11.

The last building, "MOA", type no. 12, was similar to the "BERLIN" type. "MOA" was monitored during complete demolition, without prior removal of ACMs. Changes in indoor and outdoor air pollution resulting from the processes of settlement, displacement and dispersion of airborne asbestos fibres are shown in Table 6. As in the case of building no. 1, the contractors were not aware of the presence of asbestos inside the building (photos showing the degree of ACMs destruction in Appendices C1 and C2).

All studies concern works carried out in Poland between 2002–2022. The strategy for selecting the test sites and the method of sampling was in accordance with the International Standard ISO 16000-7. Additional information on the test conditions is included in "Supplementary material" under the title Terms and conditions of sampling.

2.2 Microscopic analysis

Microscopic analyses: PCM + PLM methods (phase-contrast and polarised light microscopy). This method has been previously, repeatedly verified by electron microscopy and comparative inter-laboratory studies. SEM-EDS was used to perform some tests. Those results could be compared to historical tests and exposure and dose-response estimates.

The author personally analysed the conditions of the tested buildings and carried out air tests at various stages of building use in terms of the concentration of asbestos-respirable fibres (asbestos countable fibres according to WHO criteria, L > 5 µm, Ø<3 µm and L:Ø < 3:1).

The windows were closed during air sampling in the used buildings, though room use during the measurements (movement of employees) caused the mixing of air from different rooms covered by the study. In-office fans were used to standardise the tested air within individual rooms, which were still in use during sampling. This is called "dynamic" sampling, activates settled dust, and increases the possibility of recording all released dust during the test.

Air samples were collected on filters made of Millipore AA cellulose esters with pore diameters of 0.8 µm. A flow volume of tested air of approximately 1.5 m³ was ensured through each filter for two hours. After chemically treating the filters, microscopic tests were performed, calculating the number of counted respirable fibres (PCM method), identified as respirable asbestos fibres (PLM method) per 1 m³ of internal air. During microscopic analysis, the phase contrast technique according to the NIOSH 7400 method was used. The observation of each of the counted respirable fibres was supplemented with its identification using light polarisation (based on optical features). Magnifications used: 500× (or 1,000× + immersion). The number of observations of a single filter was approximately 4× greater than the NIOSH standard, which increased the sensitivity of the determinations. The adopted limit of quantification for this method is 300 f/m³. The described method is a PCA-accredited research procedure developed in detail by the author and used at the Building Research Institute [17]. The expanded uncertainty of the results, determined in the computer program developed for the laboratory specifically for these tests, amounts to approximately 20% − 30%.

The applied analysis method has been described previously [14, 18]. Two techniques of air sampling were used: static (natural, stagnant conditions, where the ambient air was not additionally mixed). Samples were taken from indoors when the ACM products were still in the used rooms; dynamic, only in unused rooms, where asbestos was not being dismantled but strongly disturbed. The air was mixed using fans to activate settled asbestos dust. The selected research technique allows for the comparison of the historical results obtained by the author and other researchers, serving the assessment of threats; however, it does not pretend to be as precisely marked as the TEM technique [19, 20].

Figures 2 and 3 graphically show a comparison of indoor air pollution in “BERLIN” and “LIPSK” at different phases of the operation process. The colours in the common legend were used to designate the buildings. The average test results in all described cases in rooms with poor technical conditions of ACMs and work errors were characterised by a large dispersion of fibre concentration at the Std. Dev. level σ ≈ 50% for the average value of the obtained results.

Figure 2 presents tests of the "BERLIN" building during different cycles of use and “MOA” during demolition. Buildings nos. 1 and. 12, were measured after the destruction of ACM over time, up to 144 weeks from the completion of all works. Additionally, for comparison purposes, changes in contamination of indoor air in "BERLIN" building no. 2 during 20 years of use and buildings nos. 3a and 3b. Tests for building no. 2 were made before and after ACM impregnation, with the marking of the apartment in which the internal walls were moved (apartment no. 19). The test results for "BERLIN" building no. 2, 3a and 4a present in Fig. 2 are not related to the axis of time. They are to compare the value of asbestos fibre concentration.

Figure 3 shows the pollution value of the examined buildings in two categories of asbestos fibre concentration, in the range < 300–750 f/m³ and above 1500 f/m³.

Figure 3 Graphical comparison of average asbestos airborne concentration in “BERLIN” and

“LIPSK”, after asbestos removal, accidental destruction, ACM impregnation and without any destruction and good ACM conditions. The vertical lines in the diagram correspond to the maximum and minimum asbestos dust concentration in the building under study (dispersion of values).

G – The average range of 300–750 f/m³ of concentration values for all tested and used this range may be < 300 f/m³. The average value of pollution is 350 f/m³.

D – The range of 1,500–2,200 f/m³ of concentration values for all tested and used buildings of type "BERLIN" and "LIPSK", with average operational damage, and some rooms in rather a poor condition containing damaged ACM.

The common legend to Figs. 2 and 3

Data analysed

Table 2

Summary of test results of an uncorrected renovation, Building type “BERLIN” no. 1
Description of the rooms	Number of tests	Average [f/m³]	Max. [f/m³]	Min. [f/m³]	Std. Dev. σ [f/m³]
All rooms, renovation carried out in the past, three years back	6	950	1,760	430	500
Not renovated rooms	5	1,200	1,600	860	300
Rooms with varying significant wall damage	2	5,000	5,550	4,600	670
Renovation completed two weeks before the test, used	5	3,200	6,700	570	2,000
As above, after 20 days of the intensive airing of the rooms by opening the windows	3	500	630	440	100
All rooms	21	1,880	6,700	430	1,870

Table 3

Building type “BERLIN” no. 2: before correct renovation and after several years
Tests carried out in the year	Description of the rooms	Number of tests		Max. [f/m³]	Min. [f/m³]	Std. Dev. σ¹ [f/m³]
2022, after 17 years of completed correct renovation	Standard use of premises including rooms in apartment 19	10/OM 4/SEM-EDS	< 300 < 170	< 300 < 170	0 < 170	– –
2015, after nine years of completed correct renovation	Correcting the use of the rooms after renovation	40	< 300	770	0	165
	Rooms in apartment no. 19, with an unprofessional adaptation of interior walls by the owner of the rooms	2	1,500	1,800	1,300	424
	All rooms	42	< 300	1,800	0	330
2006, one year after renovation (after 38 years of use)	The renovation carried out during the use of rooms	6	470	730	< 300	190
2006, one year after renovation (after 38 years of use)	Rooms in apartment no. 19	1	340	–	–	–
2002, before any renovation or adaptation, (after 35 years of use)	Asbestos fibre concentration in the rooms before renovation	10	930	2,050	< 300	540
	Rooms in apartment no. 19, before the unprofessional adaptation of interior walls by the owner of the rooms	3	1,200	1,300	1040	150
	Other rooms, except apartment no. 19	7	830	2,050	< 300	611

¹ Stand. Reverse σ [f / m³]. The analysis includes all the rooms studied (21 flats, including 42 rooms). A separate case where the owner of two rooms, after renovation, rearranged the internal walls, was excluded.

Table 4

Other “BERLIN” type buildings, tested in 2002–2010, had good conditions of ACM, walls of the rooms were only painted.
Description of rooms		Number of tests	Average [f/m³]	Max. [f/m³]	Std. Dev. σ [f/m³]
Asbestos fibre concentration in the rooms	Building no. 3	8	< 300	300	90
	Building no. 4	11	340	800	200
	Building no. 5	9	< 300	500	140
	Building no. 3a	30	150	560	-
	Building no. 4a	30	70	300	-

Table 5

“LIPSK” type buildings
Asbestos fibre concentration in the rooms / Description of the rooms	Number of tests PCM + SEM-EDS	Average [f/m³]	Max. [f/m³]	Min. [f/m³]	Std. Dev. σ [f/m³]
“LIPSK” no. 6 / chosen rooms on all floors	18	< 300	< 300	0	-
"LIPSK" no. 7, rooms on the ground floor (during removal asbestos works not on V floor)	6	3,000	5,700	1,800	1,824
“LIPSK” no. 11 during all asbestos removal works in “LIPSK” no. 7	14	1,200	2,700	320	790
“LIPSK” no. 11 during the asbestos destruction process	8	1,500	2,700	320	970
“LIPSK” no. 11 after asbestos removal works in “LIPSK” no. 7, after seven days of intensive ventilation by opening the windows	6	800	1,000	660	130
“LIPSK” nos. 8–10 measurements outside of leaky work zones during asbestos removal in these zones	45	2,800	4,500	500	–

Table 6

Building no. 12, type “MOA” (similar to type “BERLIN”). Changes indoors and environmental pollution as demolition work progresses
Days of work	1	2	3	4	7	13	14	15	16	18	19	Place of measurement
Advancement of works	a	b	b	b	c	d	e	f	g	g	g	Place of measurement
Fibre concentration [f/m³]	< 300	< 300	< 300	< 300	< 300	400	600	2,200	600	300	< 300	10 m from the works outside the building
	300	–	–	300	1,200	3,600	4,800	1,200	600	700	600	Inside the demolished “MOA” building
	< 300	< 300	< 300	< 300	< 300	< 300	< 300	< 300	< 300	< 300	< 300	Inside the other building, 30 m away from the works

Progress of work:

a – before the renovation, b – preparation zones of work, c – the start of disassembly, d – dismantling of walls, e – removal of the roof, "unsealing" of the building, f – final works, g – waste disposal. On the 19th day, measurements “inside the demolished building" were carried out on the foundations and the remains, i.e. in the atmospheric air not limited by walls.

Due to the location and time of "area sampling", the author's results are lower than the results of "individual samples" and "area samples", as reported in the cited literature (Table 1). This is an obvious effect of the passing of time between ACM destruction and the author's tests. Comparing similar categories of buildings, described as in use, currently in service, in good condition, and without significant ACM damage, the differences between the author's and the literature's results (type measurement I in Table 1) can be ignored. They are small. In studies conducted with the use of the TEM technique, asbestos fibre concentration values ranged between 50–120 f/m³. They corresponded with the results of the author’s data, obtained through the OM technique. Here, values of about < 300 f/m³ were reached. This is a value below the limit of quantification for the OM method used by the author. These differences are insignificant compared to the values discovered as a separate “V category” of results. The levels of contamination after accidental ACM damage and careless or erroneous asbestos removal during renovation works were found far beyond the work zones, and also during the use of the buildings. These are values of about several thousand f/m³ with a range ≈ of 2,000–6,000 f/m³. That exposure applies not to contractors but to occupants, users and support staff. Data from research on Korean preschool buildings (Table 1) [1], although similar to the values obtained by the author, do not ensure that we are considering the same, counted (asbestos) fibres. Identification was not used in the Korean study, contrary to the author's methodology.

The TM measurement made by Lee and Van Orden et al [2] should be considered significant and more comparable to the author's data. They state that among the several thousand samples tested from hundreds of US buildings, no values above 4,000 f/m³ were detected. Therefore, a conclusion was drawn that the permissible limits were not exceeded and that the users were not at risk.

The author's results clearly prove that the time factor is important and that values of several thousand fibres/m³ are not rare in Polish buildings. They are temporary, decreasing over time and therefore may not have been recorded in the Lee and Van Orden study at the moment when they were above 4000 f/m³. This does not mean an incorrect conclusion of the author's predecessors as to the risks in the buildings they tested, but the relativity of such assessments. It results from changes in the value of dust concentrations that occur over time [15, 16] ].

Improperly conducted works are accompanied by the uncontrolled emission of asbestos dust at the place of its generation. Mainly due to the dispersion of dust in the environment (solving in fresh air), fibre concentration drops at the place of its generation. On the other hand, asbestos-contaminated space grows behind the workplace. That contamination is not compulsorily controlled. As a result, there is an increased risk of building occupants being exposed to asbestos and they are not aware of the health risks involved.

Some rooms in buildings nos. 3a and 4a were continuously used for more than 40 years. The ACMs in rooms are in bed condition with visible damage to ACMs caused by thermal and dumpty changes of external walls. The damage is similar to that observed in Building 1 (See Appendix B2), but there has never been any refurbishment or asbestos removal in these buildings. However, despite similar damage, most of the 60 measurements in buildings 3a and 4a showed no asbestos in the air. The average value was < 300 f/m³. Maximum contamination 560 f/m³. The presented studies indicate that local operational damage to the ACMs in normally used buildings with asbestos does not cause an increase in the concentration of asbestos dust in the air above 500 f/m³. Larger impurities than 1000 f/m³ may cause large-scale damage to these products, related to asbestos removal, renovations and adaptations of rooms. In addition, activity in such rooms is necessary to keep asbestos dust suspended in the air. This fact leads to reflection on whether the absolute removal of asbestos from buildings is the right trend in construction policy.

The concentration of airborne asbestos in buildings does not have a fixed value. It changes over time due to many factors. For this reason, single, detailed measurements do not constitute a reliable risk assessment for building users.
Contamination from defective asbestos work by specialists is comparable to DIY and can involve the periodic, sometimes, long-term contamination of a building.
Renovation of small ACM surfaces, consisting in painting the walls with accidental mechanical disturbance of friable asbestos products yields a large variation of respirable asbestos fibre concentrations in rooms. The values of asbestos concentration depend on the distance of the sample from the emission source and are not repeatable.
These values significantly exceed the average concentration of asbestos fibres in buildings containing similar ACMs in normal use and after the correct removal or preservation of ACMs. At the same time, the average value of airborne asbestos in this case is many times lower than that generated during the dismantling of products in work areas.
All improper work carried out outdoors involves a "short-term" increase in pollution in the ambient outdoor air. The elevated dust concentration in outdoor air is short-lived and decreases rapidly with increasing distance from the dust source.
The speed of asbestos fibre changes concentration in the building depends on the degree of air exchange and the passage of time between the release of fibres from the ACMs and air sampling for the tests.
Some factors such as the leakage of fibres from sealing area works, the free flow of dust outside the work area, dust dispersion in the environment, airing the rooms immediately before testing, and the passage of time between removal and air tests can falsify the final opinion of the quality of asbestos removal work.

ACM – asbestos-containing material

f/m³ (or f/ml) – a measure of the concentration of respirable asbestos fibre, registered in 1 m³ (or 1 ml) of tested air, e.g. concentration 1 f/ml = concentration 10⁶ f/m³

OM – optical microscopic analysis

PCM + PLM – phase contrast microscopy + polarised light microscopy. Author's modification of the NIOSH 7400 method using the identification of asbestos fibres under polarised light

Respirable fibres – asbestos fibres that are counted in the analysis of the fibre concentration in the air, posing a significant health hazard. Length, L>5 µm, diameter, Ø<3 µm and L: Ø>3:1

Data availability statement

• All data generated or analysed during this study are included in this published article [and its supplementary information files].

• The raw and unanalysed dataset components used in the article are not publicly available [due to the number and volume of information], but are available from the author upon reasonable request.

Ethics Statement

Experimental animals and human participants were not used in the studies. No human or animal samples or studies were used in this study.

All the studies concerned "inanimate nature". These were studies of buildings, building materials, indoor air and air pollution.

A statement to confirm that all experimental protocols were approvedby a Building Research Institute ( ITB) in Warsaw and Polish Center for Accreditation (PCA).

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Szeszenia – Dąbrowska N, Świątkowska B. Azbest w Polsce Zanieczyszczenie środowiska, skutki zdrowotne, zasady bezpiecznego postepowania z azbestem Instytut Med. Pracy im. Prof. J. Nofera, Łódź 2016 (in Polish).

No competing interests reported.

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Comparison of the effects of use, protection, improper renovation and removal of asbestos products on the example of typical old office buildings

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Abstract

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1. Introduction

1.1 Background

1.3 The purpose of the study

2.1 Materials: Tested buildings

2.2 Microscopic analysis

2. Results

3. Discussion

5. Conclusions

Abbreviations

Declarations

References

Additional Declarations

Supplementary Files

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Journal Publication

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