Presentation – “Asbestos Roofs: A greater risk than asbestos in mulch”

Blue Mountains, NSW – October 2024 – John Batty, Managing Director of EDP Consultants, delivered a powerful presentation at this year’s Asbestos & Hazardous Materials Management Conference, addressing a critical issue: asbestos cement roofs. His presentation, titled “Asbestos Cement Roofs – A Significantly Greater Risk Than Asbestos in Mulch,” served as a stark reminder of the enduring hazards associated with asbestos in traditional building materials, especially when compared to the relatively low health risks of asbestos in garden mulch, which has recently received considerable media attention.

Batty emphasised that, although public concern has grown around asbestos in mulch, the real, ongoing danger lies in materials like asbestos cement roofs, which can deteriorate over time, releasing harmful fibres into the environment. “It’s crucial for us to focus on those building materials that are exposed to weathering—because their condition can worsen significantly over time, heightening the potential risk to public health,” Batty explained.

Throughout the presentation, Batty outlined the increased risks when asbestos cement roofs are exposed to elements such as sun, rain, and wind. As these materials age, they degrade, and fibres can become airborne, posing a higher risk to the surrounding environment and the individuals who live or work nearby. This contrasts with the minor risk posed by asbestos in mulch, which is less likely to release fibres into the air under typical conditions.

Batty also presented on the risk of asbestos roofs and the natural disasters exclaimed that “as Australia is going through extremes of weather, any natural disasters would not only significantly damage these roofs but would degrade them to the point where they become friable, posing a higher risk of asbestos exposure and contaminating the building fabric and contents causing a significant cost blow out for the clean-up effort.”

Batty’s message was clear: while media-driven stories about asbestos in mulch have raised awareness, it is vital that attention and resources remain focused on the substantial risks from aging asbestos cement materials that have gone past their usable life and are now posing a significant risk to health.  He emphasised that it is now time to move away from managing asbestos roofs and start plan the removal of these asbestos roofs ensuring the hazard is eliminated and a lasting legacy can be left for future generations.

Watch the presentation here: EDP 2024 Conference Presentation

Download the presentation slides here: EDP 2024 Conference Slides