Directives. in construction and friction materials. Commercial. groups: serpentine (chrysotile) and amphibole (tremolite, actinolyte and others).

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1 European Union (EU) asbestos Directives Asbestos is the generic name for a variety of fibrous minerals found naturally in rock formations around the world. Because asbestos fibres are strong, durable and non-combustible, in a past they were widely used by industry, mainly in construction and friction materials. Commercial asbestos fibres belong in two broad mineralogical groups: serpentine (chrysotile) and amphibole (tremolite, actinolyte and others).

2 The Health Risks of Asbestos Knowledge of the medical effects of asbestos has accumulated slowly since the turn of the century. And now we agree that asbestos poses health risks only when fibres are present in the air that people breathe. How exposure to asbestos can affect you depends on:

3 The Health Risks of Asbestos the concentration of asbestos fibres in the air; how long the exposure lasted; how often you were exposed; the size of the asbestos fibres inhaled; or the amount of time since the initial exposure.

4 The Health Risks of Asbestos When inhaled in significant quantities, asbestos fibres can cause asbestosis (a scarring of the lungs which makes breathing difficult), mesothelioma (a rare cancer of the lining of the chest or abdominal cavity) and lung cancer. The link between exposure to asbestos and other types of cancers is less clear.

5 The Health Risks of Asbestos Smoking, combined with inhaled asbestos, greatly increases the risk of lung cancer. The above mentioned led to the development and inforcement by the European parliament and of the Council of the Europe following directives:

6 Council Directive 87/217/EEC Council Directive of 19 March 1987 on the prevention and reduction of environmental pollution by asbestos (87/217/EEC) The objective of this directive is to lay down measures and to supplement provisions i already in force with a view to prevention and reducing pollution by asbestos in the interests of the protection of human health and the environment.

7 Council Directive 87/217/EEC For the purpose of the Directive, Member States of the European Union shall take the necessary measures to ensure: a) Asbestos emission limit value of 0.1 mg/nm 3 in discharge air. b) The limit value of 30 grams of total suspended matter per m 3 aqueous effluent discharged shall apply.

8 Council Directive 87/217/EEC c) Measurements are taken on regular intervals of emissions in the air and discharges of aqueous effluent from facilities. d) In the course of the transport and deposition of wastes containing ii asbestos fibres or dust, no such fibres or dust are released in the air and no liquids, which may contain asbestos fibres, are spilled.

9 Council Directive 87/217/EEC e) Where waste containing asbestos fibres or dust is landfilled at sites licensed for this purpose such waste is treated, t packaged or covered with account being taken to local condition, in a way that prevents the release of asbestos particles into the environment. In Bulgaria, the Directive was adopted with Regulation 5 from 15 April 2003 for prevention and reduction of contamination of environmental with asbestos (SG 39/2003).

10 COMMISSION DIRECTIVE 1999/77/EC COMMISSION DIRECTIVE 1999/77/EC of 26 July 1999 adapting to technical progress for the sixth time Annex I to Council Directive 76/769/EEC on the approximation of the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States relating to restrictions on the marketing and use of certain dangerous substances and preparations (asbestos)

11 COMMISSION DIRECTIVE 1999/77/EC The European Union's directive 1999/77/EC in force from 2005 bans the placing on the market and the use of products containing asbestos. The Directive obliges Member States to bring into force the mentioned above requirement not tlater than 1 st of January 2005 and to inform the Commission about the way it is transposed (laws, regulations, etc.). Member States shall communicate to the commissions main provisions of their legislation concerning the full implementation of this Directive. From entry into force of this Directive to 1st January 2005, Member States may not allow the introduction of new applications for chrysotile asbestos on their territories. In Bulgaria, the Directive was adopted with Ordnance on hazardous chemical substances and preparations subject to prohibition or restrictions on the marketing and use (SG 62/2004).

12 DIRECTIVE 2009/148/EC Directive 2009/148/EC of the European parliament and of the council of the Europe of 30 November 2009 on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to asbestos at work The Directive replaces Directives 83/477/EEC, as amended d by the Directives listed in its Annex II

13 DIRECTIVE 2009/148/EC This directive has as its aim the protection of workers against the risks to their health, including the prevention of such risks, arising or likely to arise from exposure to asbestos at work. It lays down the limit i values for this exposure, as well as specific requirements, the most important of which are listed bellow:

14 DIRECTIVE 2009/148/EC a) Prohibition of the application of asbestos by means of spraying process and the working procedures that involve using low-density (less than 1 g/cm 3 ) insulating or soundproofing materials which contain asbestos. b) Prohibition of activities which expose workers to asbestos fibres during the extraction of asbestos or the manufacture and processing of asbestos products, or the manufacture and processing of product containing intentionally added asbestos (with the exception of products resulting from demolition and asbestos removal).

15 DIRECTIVE 2009/148/EC c) Employers shall insure that no worker is espoused to an airborn concentration of asbestos in excess of 0.1 fibres per 1 cm 3 as an 8-hour time weighted average. e) Depending on the results of the initial risk assessment, and in order to ensure compliance with the limit value listed above, measurement of asbestos fibres in the air at the working place shall be carried out regularly.

16 DIRECTIVE 2009/148/EC f) Fibre counting shall be carried out wherever possible by phase contrast microscope (PCM) in accordance with method recommended in 1997 by the World Health Organization ation (WHO) or any other method giving equivalent results. In Bulgaria, the previous version of this directive (Directive 83/477/EEC as amended by Directive 2003/18/EC), was adopted with Regulation 9 from 4 august 2006 on the protection of workers from risks related to exposure to asbestos at work (SG 71/2006).

17 European Union (EU) asbestos Directives Emil Parvanov state expert Ministry of Environment and Water Bulgaria tb