Asbestos cement roof sheeting remains prolific across countless commercial, industrial and residential structures constructed before 1990 nationwide. Yet despite 30 years passing since Australia’s 2003 asbestos prohibition, progress removing deadly roofing materials that continue deteriorating under harsh UV exposure proves painfully slow for property owners. This article examines reasons managing lingering asbestos roofing removal around occupied sites persists as a wicked challenge confounding authorities.
Engineering properties offering durable protection
Beyond asbestos fibre toxicity soon realised last century, cement sheet products embedded with the miracle mineral initially seemed a revolutionary advancement when patented in 1901 for incredible impact, heat and weathering-resistance properties unrivalled even today. This made asbestos roof sheeting seemingly indestructible despite being relatively lightweight for structural top-loading. Durability saw products widely integrated across schools, early skyscrapers, factories and transports like trains which all still feature century-old asbestos roofs.
For facility managers weighing up replacement costs against operational impact risks around the clock 24/7 public sites, this breeds inertia sticking with ‘functioning’ asbestos sheets deemed low immediate risk if left undisturbed despite health ramifications longer-term. Asbestos still dangerously protects critical infrastructure it helped construct long ago.
Logistical complexity around access & live exposure threats
The vast scale and elevated nature of commercial/industrial roofs exponentially escalates asbestos removal demands compared with more straightforward residential projects. Installation typically occurred before roof access innovations evolved today. This requires extensive anchoring of temporary platforms/cranes with sophisticated waterproofing during meticulous protracted stripping processes trying not to damage business trading beneath. Negative air filtration also proves vastly more resource intensive for large nitrogen-filled warehouses never designed to be hermetically sealed unlike homes.
With occupant exposure risks heightened unveiling asbestos sheets gradually, many owners delay – instead applying sealants attempting to minimise water damage bringing some temporary relief while kicking the $500k+ removal can down the road. But surface encapsulants merely mask asbestos cement threats growing graver over time.
Community fallout from delayed asbestos roof remediation:
- Wind-borne asbestos dispersion across neighbourhoods during extreme weather
- Contractors unwittingly disturbing asbestos roofs unaware
- Illegal dumping by rogue operators driving unsafe cost-cutting
Emergency remediation triggers necessitating urgent action:
- Material damage from storms allowing water permeation
- Sharply increased UV weathering bleaching surface layers
- Monitoring revealing disturbance of asbestos surface layers
Lacklustre government assistance to incentivise upgrades
A disappointing lack of tangible government assistance making decommissioning asbestos roofs more affordable sees cost-prohibitive capex budgets prolonged indefinitely by struggling owners without support. We need renewed focus on structural renewal stimulus encouraging problematic asbestos removals. Regional revitalisation funding awarded for exemplar public roof replacements with clean modern materials would inspire others. Progress tax rebates proved successful in incentivising residential solar power and water tank instals. It’s time to incentivise ridding asbestos from our built environment too!
The frustrating reality remains though that until all stakeholders collectively tackle the asbestos residue littering Australian communities through stronger mandates and upgraded infrastructure, deadly exposure legacies continue haunting society despite banning new products decades ago. But where there’s a will, there must be a way.
Conclusion
An estimated 25% of all asbestos manufactured last century still sits installed across aging built infrastructure. We cannot continue turning a blind eye waiting for asbestos both encapsulating and killing the facilities it protects and workers it poisons through inaction. The asbestos removal sector requires greater prioritisation, funding and accountability to cure Australia’s lingering deadly addiction once and for all. Our indecisiveness will soon become an economic sinkhole alongside the humanitarian crisis if ignored.
