Asbestos has been found in the main administration building at the Whangārei Wastewater Treatment plant on Kioreroa Rd.
Asbestos has been found in the main administration building at the Whangārei Wastewater Treatment plant on Kioreroa Rd.
The discovery of asbestos at the Whangārei Wastewater Treatment plant has led the council to warn current and former staff members of the risk.
The presence of the hazardous toxic substance could lead to a potentially costly cleanup operation.
Asbestos fibres were found in the administration building of the wastewatertreatment plant on Kioreroa Rd, Simon Weston, general manager Infrastructure, at Whangārei District Council said.
He said it was an older building "due for some improvement".
''Because buildings that pre-date 1990 have a good probability of containing asbestos - a widely used product with many construction applications - an asbestos survey was undertaken. This has uncovered some friable asbestos in the ceiling space.''
Weston said initial air monitoring of the admin building had shown no asbestos fibres in the air.
''Unfortunately, tests of some surfaces showed traces of asbestos dust. It is possible that over time microscopic fibres have fallen down through cracks in the ceiling, which may have exposed people who have worked in the building.
''It isn't the first time we have had to deal with asbestos issues, so we know what to do and are getting on with the job. We immediately engaged an occupational health doctor who has met with the wastewater team so that they could be fully informed and ask questions.
''We have encouraged staff, contractors and anyone who may have been exposed to voluntarily self-report their exposure to the WorkSafe asbestos exposure register and talk to their GP about this.''
The council is also providing opportunities to undertake more detailed health risk assessments if staff chose to.
''We are also contacting ex-employees who may have had exposure, where possible.''
Weston said the next step is for specialists to seal off the ceiling undertake a deep clean of all equipment and surfaces to make each room safe so that normal work can resume.
At this stage, the costs of removing the asbestos and a wider clean up are still being assessed.
''Our greatest priority is the safety and wellbeing of current and former staff and contractors,'' Weston said.
An asbestos remediation unit on site at the Whangārei Wastewater Treatment plant, where asbestos has been found in the main building.
''Anyone who has worked in or been a regular visitor to the building is asked to contact the council and speak to our health and safety advisors.''
Weston said the plant's laboratory and tearoom building has also been inspected but no issues have been identified there.
Asbestos is a proven human carcinogen, and all forms of asbestos can cause cancer.
Asbestos causes cancer in a dose-dependent manner. The greater the exposure, and the longer the time of exposure, the greater the risk of developing an asbestos-related disease.
No 'safe' lower limit of exposure has been identified with certainty - all exposure is thought to add to the overall risk of disease development - but the risk from a single, low-level exposure is considered to be extremely low.
Intact asbestos-containing material is not a risk merely by its presence. Potential health problems occur if asbestos fibres become airborne.
Inhaling significant quantities of airborne asbestos causes:
• asbestosis (scarring of lung tissue)
• mesothelioma (malignant tumours, cancers that develop around the lungs or intestine)
• pleural plaques (thickening of membranes around the lungs)
• cancer of the lung, larynx and ovary.
Symptoms of asbestos-related diseases include breathing difficulties and 'scarring' of the lung that can be detected by x-ray. - Ministry of Health
