TUESDAY, JULY 16, 1985
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DANGER FROM ASBESTOS PLASTER IS MINIMAL
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A SENIOR GOVERNMENT OFFICER HAS ADVISED THE PUBLIC NOT TO BE ALARMED ABOUT THE USE OF ACOUSTIC PLASTER CONTAINING ASBESTOS IN PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
THE BUILDING DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT'S TECHNICAL SECRETARY, MR C.J. KING, SAID A REPORT COMMISSIONED BY BRITAIN'S HEALTH AND SAFETY COMMISSION HAD SHOWN THAT PUBLIC EXPOSURE TO DAMAGED ASBESTOS WAS LIKELY TO CAUSE ONE DEATH IN TEN MILLION A YEAR.
THIS COMPARED WITH 2 000 DEATHS IN TEN MILLION THROUGH ROAD ACCIDENTS AND 50 000 DEATHS IN TEN MILLION CAUSED BY SMOKING.
MR KING SAID: +THERE IS VERY LITTLE DANGER INDEED TO THE CASUAL USER OR EVEN THE REGULAR OCCUPANT OF THESE BUILDINGS.+
SOME CONCERN HAS BEEN SHOWN FOLLOWING REPORTS IN THE LOCAL PRESS THAT AN ACOUSTIC PLASTER - AUDEX - CONTAINING ASBESTOS HAD BEEN USED IN PUBLIC BUILDINGS, PARTICULARLY IN THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG'S NEW HAKING WONG BUILDING.
MR KING CONFIRMED ONE OF THE REPORTS WHICH STATED THAT TESTS INSIDE THE HAKING WONG BUILDING HAD SHOWN ASBESTOS LEVELS TO BE MUCH LOWER THAN THOSE IN THE STREET.
HE POINTED OUT THAT THE DANGER POSED BY THE PLASTER COULD ONLY BE INCREASED IF IT WAS REMOVED DURING DEMOLITION OR ALTERATION OF A BUILDING.
+FOR THIS REASON WE ARE CARRYING OUT AN INVESTIGATION TO DETERMINE IN WHICH GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS THIS PLASTER HAS BEEN USED. THIS WILL ENABLE THE GOVERNMENT TO TAKE ALL NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS WHEN ANY WORK IS CARRIED OUT ON THESE BUILDINGS,+
MR KING SAID THAT THERE HAD BEEN AN ASBESTOS SCARE IN BRITAIN AND THIS HAD LED AUTHORITIES TO SPEND 50 MILLION POUND-STERLING ON REMOVAL OF ASBESTOS-CONTAINING MATERIALS FROM BUILDINGS.
NOT ONLY HAD MUCH OF THE WORK BEEN UNNECESSARY, BUT DISTURBING THE MATERIAL HAD IN MANY CASES CAUSED A HIGHER CONCENTRATION OF ASBESTOS FIBRES IN THE AIR, HE SAID.
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