This detailed post is written to provide top level guidance, to all the concerned people, regarding the best analysis as well as management of Asbestos in soil by developing, some robust Asbestos management plans.
Managing Asbestos in soil has different implications for all the current as well as future occupants of the land or any premises or any workers employed in a site.
Mainly there are some mechanisms for managing the level of Asbestos in soil, especially during emergency situations such as natural disasters and fires, naturally-occurring Asbestos, management of derelict mine sites, Asbestos contamination in waste or recycled materials, etc.
A range of different types of Asbestos materials can be found at different types of properties such as residences, workplaces, or any other sites.
What Is Asbestos In Soil?
Asbestos is a type of a mineral that is already found in different types of soil. It is usually made up of some long, thin as well as fibrous kind of crystals.
Asbestos is so micro in size that a microscope is definitely needed to properly identify them.
Inhaling or ingesting Asbestos makes various micro fibres get trapped in the body.
With time, all these trapped Asbestos micro fibres can seriously, cause inflammation, scarring and even even generate cancerous cells.
Long exposure to Asbestos is the main cause of mesothelioma. It also damages the lungs severely, ultimately causing a serious lung disease known as Asbestosis.
Most of the commercial Asbestos, typically contains something around five to ten percent of Asbestos. Even some commercial Asbestos, also contains around fifty percent or more Asbestos.
Factors Influencing Asbestos Management Plans, Directly
The actual history of a site along with all the information about, how the soil of the site gets contaminated with Asbestos, will ultimately provide all the useful insight and facts, into the correct nature of the problem and what additional information, may be required.
The main considerations in determining how to make effective plans for managing Asbestos in soil are:
- The actual form of the Asbestos containing the material, and how fast it generates airborne micro fibres.
- The extent or the level of Asbestos contamination in the soil premises.
- Whether the Asbestos is mainly on the surface area or is mainly buried at the depth.
- All the current or future uses of the affected or damaged land and whether these uses may be materially exposed from the Asbestos containing tiny microfibre.
If there is any uncertainty regarding how to assess these vital factors, it is highly recommended that any independent expert advice.
Types Of Asbestos In Soil
Certainly, there are many kinds of Asbestos existing. All of them are discussed below in a set of bullet points.
- Amphibole Asbestos
It has a type of needle-shaped fibres. Many studies suggest it takes much less exposure to this harmful material to cause cancer compared to any other type of Asbestos.
Many recent researches have also suggested that exposure to this amphibole Asbestos develops some severe autoimmune conditions, along with the cancer as well as other respiratory conditions.
- Serpentine Asbestos
Serpentine Asbestos mainly consists of curly micro or tiny fibres, which are fully made up of sheets of crystals.
A particular type of Asbestos from this serpentine family, known as chrysotile, mainly happens to be more than ninety five percent of all types of Asbestos, used around the world.
- Amosite Asbestos
The Environmental Protection Agency in many countries have already determined amosite, also known as brown Asbestos, to be the second most commonly used Asbestos, all over the world.
In fact, according to the American Cancer Society, exposure to this amosite Asbestos, generates a high risk of developing cancerous cells, when compared to other common types of Asbestos available.
- Chrysotile
It is most commonly referred to as white Asbestos, and is widely used in the form of minerals. This was used in most Asbestos-consisting products, manufactured in many different countries around the world, during the 20th century.
Many amounts of this amphibole type of Asbestos, is often accompanied with some naturally occurring mineral deposits of chrysotile, which ultimately increase its level of toxicity.
However, long exposure to this chrysotile Asbestos microfibre, particularly develops a serious risk of causing some of the life-threatening diseases.
Conclusion
For almost all kinds of people existing in this world, having super clean and fertile soil in their whole property surroundings is definitely important for the overall family health as well as wellness, and Asbestos is certainly a type of harmful microfibre material, that harms the soil of a site very badly.
So, this is actually the main reason why it is suggested to have some robust Asbestos management plans, to effectively as well as efficiently reduce the level as well as harmness of Asbestos in Soil, in the best way possible.
