XN000022-1988-08-11 — Page 14

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 11, 1988

THE

THE CONFERENCE, ATTENDED ALSO BY THE ACTING ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION (AIR AND NOISE), MR FRED

TROMP, AND ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF HOUSING (MAINTENANCE), MR RAYMOND BATES, WAS ALSO TOLD THAT ASBESTOS CEMENT AS A BUILDING PRODUCT IS PERFECTLY SAFE AND STILL NOT BANNED IN USE WORLD-WIDE.

BUT DESPITE THIS, THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT TOGETHER WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT AND THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT HAVE TAKEN STEPS TO ENSURE SAFE TREATMENT WHEN NECESSARY EITHER BY REMOVING IT UNDER CONTROLLED CONDITIONS OR BY SEALING WITH SPECIAL PLASTER.

"EVEN THOUGH CURRENT LEGISLATION ON ASBESTOS REFER TO PROTECTION OF WORKERS THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT HAS IN RECENT YEARS BEEN IN CONSULTATION WITH THE TWO OTHER DEPARTMENTS STUDYING VARIOUS METHODS WITH THE INTEREST AND WELL-BEING OF PUBLIC HOUSING TENANTS BEING THE MAIN OBJECTIVE, MR MESSLING SAID.

..

MR BATES, THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR IN CHARGE OF MAINTENANCE, SAID HIS STAFF AND THE REGIONAL CONSULTANTS ARE INSPECTING THE HOMES OF 143 000 FAMILIES IN THE 161 BLOCKS WITH ASBESTOS CEMENT IN THE BALCONY GRILLES TO CHECK THEIR CONDITION.

"IN MOST CASES WE FIND THE CONDITION VERY GOOD THOUGH OCCASIONALLY WE FOUND THAT THEY HAVE STARTED TO DETERIORATE," HE SAID.

MR BATES POINTED OUT, HOWEVER, THAT IN MOST OF THE BLOCKS THE BALCONY GRILLES HAVE BEEN COVERED WITH MANY COATS OF PAINT DURING THE PASSAGE OF TIME. SOME EVEN WERE COVERED WITH TILES.

THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, MR FRED TROMP, SAID HIS PRIMARY CONCERN WAS THE HEALTH OF RESIDENTS AROUND THE ESTATE AND, TO THAT EXTENT, "WE HAVE TO ENSURE THAT THE METHODS WHICH HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED ENSURE THE HEALTH OF RESIDENTS WILL IN WAY DE COMPROMISED.'

NO

BUT HE SAID HE WAS CERTAINLY SATISFIED THAT THE PROCEDURES DEVELOPED WILL ENABLE THE WORK TO BE CARRIED OUT AT A REASONABLE WHILE AT THE SAME TIME PROTECT THE HEALTH OF RESIDENTS.

PACE

ON THE VOLUME OF ASBESTOS FIBRES IN THE BALCONY GRILLES, MR BATES SAID NORMALLY IT SHOULD BE BETWEEN EIGHT TO 15 PER CENT.

WHEN SAMPLES WERE SENT FOR ANALYSIS, TESTS SHOWED THAT IN FACT IN MANY OF THE HOUSING BLOCKS THE VOLUME AVERAGED BETWEEN THREE TO FIVE PER CENT WITH EITHER 97 OR 98 PER CENT BEING CEMENT. IN SOME THERE WERE NO FIBRES PRESENT AT ALL..

MR TROMP ADDED: "THE WHOLE ISSUE OF ASBESTOS IS RELATED TO THE FACT THAT PEOPLE ARE EXPOSED TO FIBRES WHICH HAVE BEEN RELEASED. WITH SOME PRODUCTS THE POTENTIAL FIBRE RELEASE IS QUITE HICK, SUCH AS ACOUSTIC PLASTERS.

"WITH ASBESTOS