Slate and other asbestos-containing waste is classified as hazardous. Its harmful effects were already being talked about in the early 20th century. What is the situation in Latvia? Does it have to be mandatorily changed?
Rudīte Vesere - Director of the Department of Environmental Protection and Regional Development explains in the TV programme Vides fakti that there are no precise estimates about the number of slate roofs in Latvia. Therefore, the LIFE Waste To Resources IP project will prepare an assessment by March next year to understand the amount of asbestos-containing slate on roofs and the potential timeframe for the removal and management of this waste. Criteria will also be developed for potential support to households under the "polluter pays" principle.
According to official statistics, the amount of waste collected in Latvia has increased in recent years, with 3,200,392 tonnes collected in 2020 and 3,489,313 tonnes of asbestos-containing building materials collected in 2021. Previously, the average amount of this class of waste collected annually was around 2,000 tonnes per year. In total, more than 17,395 tonnes of asbestos-containing building materials were managed in landfills between 2013 and 2021. This amount is mainly waste from the renovation or reconstruction of buildings owned by local authorities.
As R. Vesere points out, it is very important to understand how to replace such roofs. Personnel not qualified to work with asbestos-containing waste should not come into contact with it, as asbestos fibres can detach and asbestos dust can be inhaled and enter the human body through the skin, posing a serious health risk. Asbestos fibres weaken the human immune system, which can even lead to lung cancer.
To address the risks of handling and collecting asbestos-containing waste, the LIFE Waste To Resources IP project will provide specialised training for inspectors from the State Environmental Service, municipal environmental officers and waste management operators whose landfills are to handle asbestos-containing waste by the end of March next year. The knowledge and skills will also be useful when the "polluter pays" principle to household support is launched. Asbestos-containing waste may be handled by companies with hazardous waste permits. Experienced and knowledgeable technicians will be able to dismantle roof tiles, collect and package them in a way that is safe for human health, transport and remove asbestos-containing waste from households.
It should be underlined that the primary groups to be supported are socially vulnerable persons who have had, are having or intend to have roofing replacements in their households, i.e. who need support for the dismantling, collection, removal and disposal of asbestos-containing roofing in landfills where this is allowed. This applies to different types of buildings: residential houses, garden houses, outbuildings, summer cottages. The support criteria will be developed by the end of 2023.
Find out more about the harmful effects of asbestos-containing materials on human health and how to work safely in the programme: Vides fakti
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