Class 1 Carcinogen – Asbestos

Asbestos Travels from the Nose to the Lungs.

The nose acts as a passageway for inhaled air.

The air we breathe mixes with dust, viruses, and various harmless and harmful agents. Nowadays, we regularly check the levels of particulate matter and ultrafine particles, as well as viruses and industrial materials like asbestos, all of which can enter our bodies through the nose. These substances can sometimes cause diseases severe enough to be life-threatening.

Especially asbestos, which accumulates in the body over many years, has long deteriorated the health of workers. 

Designated as a Class 1 carcinogen by the WHO, its use has been restricted or banned since the 2000s, yet it still poses a risk in industrial environments.

Asbestos: Resistant to Fire and Heat

Asbestos is also known as the “indestructible material,” derived from the Greek words ‘a (not)’ and ‘sbestos (extinguishable).’ In Korean, it is called “stone cotton.” It appears as thin and long bundles of fibers, each fiber being approximately 1/5000th the thickness of a human hair. There are various types of asbestos, but they are generally classified into chrysotile from the serpentine group, and crocidolite, amosite, anthophyllite, actinolite, and tremolite from the amphibole group.

Asbestos is tasteless and odorless, and it has an exceptional ability to withstand heat and fire. Asbestos fibers are chemically inert, meaning they do not react with most chemicals. Due to these properties, asbestos has been widely used in construction materials, friction products, and heat-resistant textiles.

Asbestos Exposure and Lung Damage

When asbestos enters our body, it can remain dormant for a period ranging from 10 to 40 years before causing disease.

Much finer than the thickness of human hair, asbestos fibers float in the air and are inhaled into the body through the respiratory system. Normally, when external dust enters our body, most large particles are filtered out at the entrance of the respiratory tract before they can reach deep into the lungs. However, small particles like asbestos fibers penetrate deep into the lung tissues, destroying and damaging the macrophages that are part of the immune system. This damage progressively worsens, eventually impairing lung function. Common diseases caused by asbestos include malignant mesothelioma, asbestosis, and lung cancer.

 

Asbestos: Widely Used from Construction Materials to Military Supplies

Asbestos was first used in ancient Greece and Rome, where it served as the wick in lamps. It gained the moniker “the immortal material” because these lamps were notoriously difficult to extinguish. Following the Industrial Revolution, advances in textile technology allowed for the mass production of asbestos yarn and cloth. 

The extensive use of asbestos as an industrial raw material began in the early 20th century, with its application spanning some 3,000 different industrial products, from construction to automotive parts. Particularly during wartime, the asbestos industry flourished; it was used as insulation in warships, tanks, and military aircraft, and blue asbestos was even used in gas mask filters.

In Korea, asbestos mining began in the mid-1930s as part of efforts to produce military supplies under Japanese rule, primarily in the mines around Hongseong County and Boryeong in South Chungcheong Province. In the 1970s, as traditional hanok houses were renovated, asbestos-containing slate was widely used as a roofing material. This trend continued into the 1980s, coinciding with economic development, and asbestos was extensively used in various industrial and construction materials throughout the 1990s. Korea primarily imported chrysotile asbestos from Canada. The import peaked in 1992 at 100,000 tons but gradually declined thereafter due to government regulations and bans on asbestos use..

 

South Korea Domestic Asbestos Ban and Establishment of Asbestos Handling Standards

In response to the classification of asbestos as a Group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the Korean government incorporated a ban on the manufacture, import, transfer, or use of blue and brown asbestos into the Industrial Safety and Health Act in January 2000. Further bans were added in July 2003 for tremolite, actinolite, and anthophyllite asbestos.

In 2003, regulations were established that required permits for the dismantling or removal of equipment or structures containing more than 1% asbestos. Comprehensive work methods were also mandated, including containment, wet methods, negative pressure maintenance, and specific prohibitions against dropping roofing materials directly onto the ground during demolition.

Before 2003, the risks associated with asbestos were not fully recognized, and workers often performed removal tasks without proper protective gear. As the national economy grew, the aging of buildings constructed 30-40 years ago, which used asbestos-containing materials extensively, has reached a point where dismantling is necessary. This has heightened concerns about exposure to asbestos, a known carcinogen, as these materials are removed.

Groups at Risk of Asbestos Exposure

The groups at risk of asbestos exposure can be broadly categorized into occupational asbestos exposure and environmental asbestos exposure. With the prohibition of asbestos-containing products, those most at risk of exposure to asbestos are workers involved in the dismantling, removal, maintenance, or disposal (transportation, landfill, etc.) of asbestos-containing materials used in the past.

Even the general public using buildings with fragile asbestos-containing materials is at risk of exposure to asbestos. Employers or building owners should take precautions to prevent exposure to asbestos for workers and the general public using the building. Even in routine building maintenance and repair work, there is a potential risk of asbestos exposure depending on the circumstances.

Asbestos Dismantling and Removal Work Manual

Preparation for Asbestos Dismantling and Removal Work

Firstly, a plan for asbestos dismantling and removal must be developed. The plan should include pre-survey findings on asbestos-containing materials, construction period and manpower allocation, procedures and methods, measures for preventing dispersion and disposal methods, and worker protection measures. Warning signs should be installed at the entrance of the workplace, and signs indicating asbestos installation and dismantling work should be posted to inform nearby residents or pedestrians.

Employers should provide appropriate personal protective equipment to workers based on the working conditions. Respiratory protective equipment such as high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) masks, powered air-purifying respirators (PAPRs), or supplied-air respirators should be worn. Additionally, goggles, protective clothing covering the body, gloves, and safety shoes should be worn to protect the body from contact with asbestos. Hygiene facilities such as changing rooms, shower rooms, and workwear changing rooms should be installed in the workplace or adjacent areas.

Precautions during Asbestos Dismantling and Removal Work

During asbestos dismantling and removal work, windows and other openings in the workplace should be sealed, and isolation measures should be taken for adjacent work areas. The workplace should be structured with a high-performance filter-equipped negative pressure enclosure system to prevent asbestos from being released outside. Wet methods using water or wetting agents should be employed to prevent asbestos from becoming airborne.