Asbestos Waste – Just How Big? Approx. 200 million tonnes produced since 1900* Total contaminated waste = 4 billion tonnes (based on 5% asbestos) In 2011, NZ sent 2.5 million tonnes of waste to landfill At current NZ rates – 1625 years of waste !!!!! *(Vogel, 2005 (until 2000) & Haynes, 2010 (from 2001-2015)
Cook Islands
Asbestos Remediation in the Cook Islands A long-term solution for making schools safe Dr Terri-Ann Berry
Purpose To challenge the current choices of long-term disposal options for asbestos contaminated materials (ACM)
Key Points 1. The global use of asbestos 2. The current situation with asbestos use and disposal in the Cook Islands 3. The long term disposal options for ACMs
Why Use Asbestos? • Fibrous silicate-based minerals – serpentine & amphibole (LaDou et al. 2010 ) • ACBM - Strong, heat and fire resistant, electrical insulators (Godish, 1989)
Health Issues from Asbestos Dangerous microscopic fibres • Asbestosis • Lung cancer • Mesothelioma • Long latency period (up to 50 years) (Haynes, 2010)
International Ban Asbestos Secretariat 55 countries have banned all forms of asbestos (out of 196) Algeria Czech Republic* Iceland Malta* Serbia Seychelles 3 Argentina Denmark Ireland Mozambique Australia Egypt Israel Netherlands Slovakia* National Austria Estonia Italy New Caledonia Slovenia Asbestos Bahrain Finland Japan Norway South Africa Bans , Jordan 2 Belgium France Oman Spain Kazan-Allen, 2014. Brunei Gabon Korea (South) Poland Sweden Bulgaria Germany Kuwait Portugal* Switzerland Chile Greece* Latvia Qatar Turkey Croatia Honduras Lithuania* Romania United Kingdom Cyprus* Hungary* Luxembourg Saudi Arabia Uruguay
Global Use of Asbestos Increasing use in developing countries (Dooley, 2012) Data adapted from Vogel. 2005. Note: 1975 consumption for USA based on 1980 data.
The Cook Islands • 15 islands spread over 2 000 000km 2 • Rarotonga is the largest with 15 000 permanent residents
Asbestos Use in the Cook Islands SPREP survey estimated that 3% of the houses plus a significant number of public buildings (inc. schools) contained ACM (SPREP, 2015) = 89 houses
Asbestos Use in Schools Avatea and Nikao Maori schools selected for reconstruction but contaminated materials and soil found on site. Find solutions for removal and disposal (currently no legislation or policy) to protect health as children most vulnerable (Cooney & Conway, 2013)
School Priority Nikao Maori School Priority given to Avatea School removal from schools but ACM still entering country and other Rarotonga buildings affected
Disposal Solutions International Landfill Local Landfill Sea Disposal Sealing, enclosing or Geotextile Cladding encapsulation (Tomasicchio et al . 2010) Asbestos contaminated Four Main Options soil
Enclosing, Sealing or Encapsulation Enclosing – erection of airtight barrier Sealing/encapsulation – protective surface coating or internal solidification Advantages Disadvantages Very little disturbance to the area Requires careful labelling Least potential to cause harm to human health Public opposition Successful model observed (Tomasicchio, 2010) Additional long-term hazardous waste High level of skill, knowledge and expertise required Expensive (capping of soil) Requires on-going maintenance
Sea Disposal Advantages Disadvantages Reduces human health risk Establishing suitable area within EEZ No on-going maintenance Dependent on permit Reduces pressure on landfill Questionable permanency of location Long-term storage solution Public opposition Cook Islands EEZ covers 1 800 000 km 2
Miss Mataroa “If It’s Not Japanese Whale Hunters, It’s Asbestos” Posted on Monday, January 14th, 2013 at 4:35 am. Written by asbestosnet Cited From: If It's Not Japanese Whale Hunters, It's Asbestos - Asbestos.net http://www.asbestos.net/news/if-its-not-japanese-whale-hunters-its- asbestos/#ixzz3fipa0Qg9
Landfill Advantages Disadvantages Removes future risk to human health Current landfill close to capacity No on-going maintenance required No current specialist hazardous waste disposal Requires strict removal procedure to protect human health Labour intensive http://www.cookislandsnews.com/item/ 30315-separating-rubbish-is-only-a- start/30315-separating-rubbish-is-only- a-start
International Landfill Advantages Disadvantages Reduces human health risk Requires strict removal procedure to protect human health No on-going maintenance Labour intensive Provides longer-term disposal solution High cost for transportation Specialise hazardous waste disposal Potential quarantine issues Overall reduction in number of disposal sites Temp storage required prior to shipping Reliance on external parties
Which Factors Affect Decision? Public Cost Opinion Rank 2 Rank 3 Public Longevity Health Rank 4 Rank 1 Sustainability Rank 5
Which Option? 1. International 1. Capping Public Cost 2. Landfill 2. Landfill Opinion Rank 2 3. Sea disposal 3. Sea disposal Rank 3 4. Capping 4. International 1. International 1. Sea disposal 2. Landfill 2. International 3. Sea disposal 3. Landfill 4. Capping 4. Capping Public Health Longevity 1. Sea disposal Rank 4 Rank 1 2. International 3. Landfill 4. Capping Sustainability Rank 5
Best Option? Option Public Cost Public Longevity (2) Sustainability Total Health (5) (4) Opinion (3) (1) Capping 20 4 12 8 4 48 Landfill 15 8 6 4 3 36 International 10 16 3 2 2 33 Sea disposal 5 12 9 6 1 33 Where value = rank x order of preference (according to each factor affecting decision) Where the lowest number suggests the best option
Conclusions • Enclosing, sealing or encapsulation may provide a good short term solution • Removal and storage for later disposal recommended (at a cost of approx. $340 000)
References • Abrams, F., (2015). Schools are facing an asbestos timebomb. Retrieved from http://www.theguardian.com/education/2015/may/19/school-asbestos-buildings-unable-get-rid. • Basel Convention (1992) Retrieved from http://www.basel.int/Portals/4/Basel%20Convention/docs/text/BaselConventionText- e.pdf Connell, D.W. (2005). Basic concepts of environmental chemistry. 2 nd Edition. Taylor & Francis Group, LLC, USA. • • Cooney & Conway, (2013). The danger of asbestos in schools. PR Newswire , 22 Jan 2013, Academic OneFile. • Dooley, E.E. (2012). More scientists call for an end to asbestos. Environmental Health Perspectives, 120 (9), a348-a349 • Godish, D. (1989). Asbestos exposure in schools . Journal of School Health , 59 (8), p362. • Haynes, R.C. (2010). A worn-out welcome: renewed call for a global ban on asbestos. Environmental Health Perspectives , 118 (7), a298. • Haynes, D. (2011). An asbestos free pacific: a regional strategy and action plan. Apia, Samoa: Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme. Retrieved from http://www.sprep.org/2011sm22/pdfs/eng/Officials/WP_8_2_8_Att_1_Draft%20Asbestos%20Strategy.pdf. • International Ban Asbestos Secretariat (2014). Retrieved from http://ibasecretariat.org/alpha_ban_list.php. LaDou, J., Castleman, B., Frank, A., Gochfield, M., Greenberg, M., Huff, J., Kant Joshi, T., Landrigan, P.J., Lemen, R., Myers, J., • Soffritti, M., Soskolne, C.L., Takahashi, K., Teitelbaum, D., Terracini, B and Watterson, A. (2010). The case for a global ban on asbestos. Environmental Health Perspectives , 118 (7), 897-901.
References (cont.) • Noumea Convention, (1986). Retrieved from https://www.sprep.org/legal/noumea-convention. • Pacific Guardians.org. (2014). Niue To Ship 20 Containers Of Asbestos To Nz For Disposal. Retrieved from http://pacificguardians.org/blog/2014/04/25/niue-to-ship-20-containers-of-asbestos-to-nzfor-disposaI/.htmI. • SPREP. (2011). An asbestos-free Pacific: a regional strategy and action plan. Apia Samoa: Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme. • SPREP (2015). Survey of the regional distribution and status of asbestos contaminated construction material and best practice options for its management in Pacific Island countries. • Tomasicchio, G. R., D'Alessandro, F., & Musci, F. (2010). A multi-layer capping of a coastal area contaminated with materials dangerous to health. Chemistry and Ecology , 26(S1), 155-168. UK Landfill Directive (2010). Draft guidance on – pb13563-landfill-directive-100322.pdf. (n.d) Retrieved from • https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachement_data/file/69347/pb13563-landfill-directive-100322.pdf. • Vogel, L. (2005). Asbestos in the world, HESA Newsletter, June 2005, 27, 7-21. Retrieved from https://www.etui.org/.../file/Special+report+ Asbestos +in+the+ world .pdf • Waigani Convention (2001). Retrieved from http://www.sprep.org/legal/waigani-convention. Worksafe. (2013). Methods of demolition. From http://www.business.govt.nz/worksafe/informationguidance/all-guidance- • items/best-practice-guidelines-for-demolition-in-new-zealand/methods-of-demolition • Worksafe (n.d) Disposal of asbestos waste (information sheet. Retrieved June 17, 2015, from http://www.business.govt.nz/worksafe/informatino-guidance/all-guidance-items/asbestos-factsheets/disposal-of-asbestos-waste
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