Report on the activities of the Centre for the 2004–2010 period | Environmental asbestos exposure and asbestos pollution in Poland | The "Amiantus" Project | Occupational exposure, medical care | Asbestos-related occupational diseases
Report
on the work done in 2004-2010 under the project „Elimination of asbestos
and asbestos-containing products used in Poland, 2002-2032"
1. Organization of the first-in-Poland conference on "Problems of asbestos in Poland"
with the participation of foreign expert
The First International Conference on "Problems of Asbestos in Poland" organized by the Center, in cooperation with the Ministry of Economy and Social Policy, Ministry of Health and the International Ban Asbestos Secretariat (IBAS), a London-based non-governmental organization, was held in May, 2004. The conference made it possible to exchange experiences on the ways and methods to eliminate potential sources of environmental asbestos dust, risk assessment and analysis of health hazards to occupationally exposed workers and residents of asbestos-polluted sites. For the purpose of the conference, the organizers prepared a publication, "Asbestos. Occupational and environmental exposure. Effects, prevention", ed. by Neonila Szeszenia-Dabrowska, NIOM, Łódź 2004, pp. 169.
2. EU Conference, preparation of papers – presentation of the project
Invited by members of European Parliament, Professor Neonila Szeszenia-Dabrowska participated in the "European Asbestos Conference: Policy, Status & Human Rights", Brussels, 22-23 September, 2005.
During the conference, a political debate was held on social, legal, economic and health aspects of asbestos hazards in Europe. Prof. Neonila Szeszenia-Dabrowska presented two papers: “Asbestos Issues in Poland” and “Environmental Asbestos Exposure in Poland.”
3. Training conferences and training courses in the years 2004-2010
In different parts of Poland, NIOM’s Reference Center organized and held 25 training conferences, attended by 1,491 people, including 402 doctors, 991 sanitary inspectors, 47 inspectors of the National Labour Inspectorate, and 50 building inspectors. In addition, invited by the organizers, the workers of the Centre participated as lecturers in over 50 training courses and conferences on harmful health effects of asbestos, organized by local administration and business organizations.
4. Education and information activities
In 2004-2006, leaflets on "Environmental asbestos – a health hazard to you, your family and the environment" and "Asbestos and your & your family’s health" addressed to the inhabitants, as well as health workers were prepared and circulated. A poster entitled "Asbestos - A project to eliminate hazards throughout Poland" was prepared and distributed.
5. Participation in regional press conferences
The Reference Centre of the Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine (NIOM) took steps to promote through the media the knowledge about harmful effects of asbestos and the ways to prevent those effects among the residents. In 2004, in an action advertised by the motto "No one else will remove the asbestos,” Centre’s representatives participated in nine TV shows and 20 radio broadcasts and their interviews appeared as 20 articles in the press. This activity was continued in subsequent years. In 2005-2006, there were in total 22 press conferences held in 16 cities on the asbestos-related health hazards and the necessity to remove asbestos from the environment.
6. Assessment of asbestos pollution in Poland
The analysis based on asbestos consumption, the quantity of manufactured products and the results of measurements of concentrations of asbestos fibers in ambient air are presented in the publication: "Environmental asbestos pollution. Health effects. A research report" prepared by.N. Szeszenia - Dabrowska, W. Sobala, NIOM Lodz, 2010 (in Polish) and in the article by Neonila Szeszenia-Dabrowska, Wojciech Sobala, Beata Świątkowska, Grazyna Stroszejn-Mrowca, Urszula Wilczyńska: Environmental asbestos pollution - situation in Poland. International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health, 2012 (25) 1 (in press).
7. Expert opinions
In 2010 – 2011, three expert opinions were drafted on the feasibility of asbestos-containing waste disposal using Microwave Thermal Treatment Technology (MTT). The expert opinions were prepared to the request of the Project Coordinator and the Ministry of Environmental Protection.
In 2008-2010, an expert opinion on exposure to asbestos dust of workers involved in removal of asbestos-cement construction elements in the open air, and recommendations on the liberalization of health and safety regulations applicable for removing asbestos-cement roofing and facades in the open air were prepared.
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