Environmental Health Issues

This paper focuses on the definition of the health hazards based on the DPSEEA framework and the strategies that have been put in place to address the challenges.

Running head: ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH ISSUES
1
Environmental Health Issues
Name
Institutional Affiliation

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH ISSUES 2
Introduction
Asbestos has for long been mined, imported, manufactured and used in Australia.
Asbestos fibers are toxic substances that pose a health hazard to populations in Australia.
This paper focuses on the definition of the health hazards based on the DPSEEA framework
and the strategies that have been put in place to address the challenges.
Part 1
Driving forces, Pressures and State Changes, Exposures and Effects
Based on the DPSEEA framework, the driving force for exposure to hazardous
asbestos-related substances is economic development. Australia is among the world’s leading
producers and consumers of all types of asbestos products since the 1880s. In the early 880s,
the total consumption of chrysotile asbestos in Australia was estimated at 1,888,036 tons. For
over a century, Australia mines crocidolite and chrysotile asbestos manufactures asbestos
products and also imported raw chrysotile and amosite for the manufacturing of various
products. By the 1950s, there was an asbestos cement manufacturing plant in every capital
city in Australia (Gray et al., 2016). Human activities, including road traffic, mining, and
development in rural areas results in the emission of airborne fibers that affect humans
(Baumann et al., 2013).
The use of asbestos products results in the pressure of waste release and emission.
The mining, importation, manufacturing, and installation of raw asbestos was banned in most
Australia territories and states in 1980. Further, in 2003, the use, reuse, and sale of all types
of asbestos were banned in Australia. However, past consumption still has environmental
implications in Australia until today. Most of the products that were earlier installed remain
in situ as they were used in sewage and water pipes, asbestos houses, fencing, and roofing of
industrial and residential buildings (Gray, Carey, & Reid, 2016).

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH ISSUES 3
The state of in situ asbestos changes over time due to wearing out and depletion, The
in situ asbestos can be classified into friable or non-friable asbestos. Friable asbestos is loose
a can be crumbled into fine dust easily. The asbestos fibers can quickly be released into the
air and inhaled by humans. Non-friable asbestos is bonded with a compound such as cement.
Therefore, non-friable asbestos is rigid and solid and are hard to crumble. However,
deterioration of such products may result in the release of asbestos fibers, which may pose a
health hazard (Gray et al., 2016).
The state is natural hazards; the exposure is external exposure while the effect is
morbidity, mortality, and well-being. Communities living near Asbestos mining and
processing companies are exposed to asbestos fibers. When inhaled, the fibers cause diseases
such as asbestosis, lung cancer, pleural effusion, discrete plaques, malignant mesothelioma,
rolled atelectasis, and diffuse benign pleural fibroids. Unfortunately, the period between
exposure to the disease-causing factors and the disease development may be several decades
(Jamrozik et al., 2011). Australia has the highest prevalence of malignant mesothelioma as a
result of the high per-capita exposure to asbestos (Soeberg, Vallance, Keena, Takahashi, &
Leigh, 2018). There are three waves of asbestos-related diseases that affect the Australian
population. They include diseases arising from the occupational exposure of asbestos in the
mining and manufacturing of asbestos products, diseases among the users of asbestos
products and diseases among workers who repair, remove and demolish biddings made from
asbestos products(Musk, de Klerk, & Nowak, 2016). Therefore, asbestos-related risk factors
continue to be significant challenges despite the continued banns and regulations (Jamrozik et
al., 2011). Baumann, Ambrosi, and Carbone (2013) mentioned that there are approximately
107,000 deaths annually resulting from mesothelioma and other diseases related to asbestos
exposure.

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH ISSUES 4
Currently, the mining, processing, and manufacturing of asbestos products have
globally been accepted as a complex health problem. Therefore, the social, political, and
economic frameworks in Australia have paid attention to the problem. the emphasis has been
achieved through effective implementation of banns and regulations for minimizing
emissions and use of asbestos products.
Part 2
Current Management of the Environmental Health Problem
Licencing of asbestos removalist is one of the management strategies implemented by
Australia’s State and Territory governments to address the problem of environmental hazards
resulting from asbestos. Asbestos removalists are people who have been authorized to
remove asbestos within Australia. The regulations for licensing vary across territories and
states, but there is uniformity in the classification of removalist licenses. The licenses are
classified into Class A, and Class B. Class A licenses authorize the holder to remove all types
of asbestos products which include friable and non-friable asbestos. Specialists in asbestos
removal often hold class A licenses. Class B only permits the holder to remove non-friable
asbestos such as asbestos sheets. The holders of Class A licenses are mainly builders and
demolition workers who remove asbestos occasionally during demolition to renovation.
There are also asbestos assessors in Australia who are tasked with the responsibility of
identifying asbestos products, assessing the potential risk they pose, and recommending safe
strategies for managing the products. Each State and Territory Government issues and
maintains a register of all licenses (Gray et al., 2016).
Environmental health officers also play a vital role in the management of the asbestos
health hazards within Australia. The environmental health officers assess the health risk and
regulate, and enforce laws and regulations that guide public health. They are the first contct
point for concerned community members. They are tasks with the responsibility of sampling

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH ISSUES 5
products for asbestos, investigating the appropriate asbestos management and removal
processes, removing asbestos that is dumped illegally and providing professional advice to a
community member (Gray et al., 2016).
As a result of increasing hazards caused by asbestos products, Australian government
founded Asbestos Safety and Eradication Agency of Australia (ASEA). The agency was
tasked with the responsibility of providing insights on the environmental, workplace, and
public health concerns related hazards caused by Asbestos use Soeberg, Vallance, Keena,
Takahashi & Leigh (2018). Additionally, ASEA is tasked with the responsibility of
monitoring, reporting enforcing National Asbestos Awareness 2014-2018 implementation
plan (Soeberg et al., 2018). National Strategic plan aims to offer a broad and sustainable
framework for enhancing awareness on the risk associated with asbestos product exposure,
handling, and management of asbestos products. Thus, the establishment of ASEA has
contributed to enhanced compliance of asbestos occupational safety regulations.
In pursuit of minimizing health hazard caused by the increased use of asbestos,
Australia’s government adopted public awareness creation strategies on health hazards
associated with exposure to asbestos products. In Australia, there is a consensus that the
majority of the house constructed in before 1990 contained asbestos materials. Thus,
plumbers and electricians working in these houses are facing hazardous asbestos exposure.
As a result, ASEA works for collaboratively significant trade groups in developing specific
advice and relevant safety information for plumbers whom occupation increases their chances
of exposing them to asbestos in their careers (Soeberg et al., 2018).
Meaningful partnership ASEA between National Electronical and Communication
Association, Electrical Trades Union, Master Electrician Australia, Plumbers, Master
Plumbers Australia and Pipe Trade Employees Union has resulted to increased
implementation of asbestos safety regulation in Australia. Intensified awareness campaign

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH ISSUES 6
concerning asbestos exposure risk has made the government enact regulation to limit asbestos
use and to address health hazards caused by exposure of these products (Soeberg et al., 2018).
National Asbestos Profile (NAP) marks a significant milestone in ASEA quest for
phasing out asbestos use. National Asbestos Profiles aids countries in a baseline evaluation of
asbestos uptake and asbestos-related ailment. NAP also help in mapping population at risk of
asbestos exposure. Hence, NAP contributes to planning and containing asbestos-related
diseases (Soeberg et al., 2018).
Suggestions to Address Gaps in Current Policy, Regulation and, Management for
Asbestos-Related Environmental Health Issues
Based on the actions in the DPSEEA framework, the treatment, environmental
improvement, process, product and emission control, and policies have been established to
address the health hazards associated with asbestos. However, gaps exist in the regulatory
definitions of asbestos. For over 100 years, industries and communities in Australia have
been mining and using asbestos products, which are a significant source of hazardous
substances (Jamrozik, de Klerk, & Musk, 2011). However, there have been debates regarding
the actual definition of asbestos despite the declaration that asbestos fibers are carcinogenic.
In the healthcare domain, the World Health Organization (WHO) defined asbestos as all
fibers that have the physical and chemical properties of commercial asbestos (Baumann et al.,
2013). There are nearly 400 fibrous naturally occurring minerals, but only six (tremolite,
crocidolite, chrysolite, actinolite, amosite, and anthophyllite) are regulated. The rest of the
minerals are unregulated because, at the time when the regulations were being established,
the six minerals fibers were used commercially while the rest were not. Also, it was assumed
that only the commercially used minerals could result in widespread exposure to human
(Baumann et al., 2013). As viewed in the literature, only six types of natural fibers are
regulated, while there are over 400 naturally occurring fibers. However, these unregulated

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH ISSUES 7
fibers cause equivalent environmental hazards as the six regulated minerals. The regulation of
fibrous substances is marred by uncertainty and miscommunication regarding the effects f
some unregulated fibrous minerals (Baumann et al., 2013). Therefore would propose the
more clear definitions and regulations are established to encompass all asbestos-related
minerals regardless of their nature of utilization.
Conclusion
Exposure to the remaining in situ asbestos still poses a current and future threat to
environmental health in Australia. Bans on asbestos have been identified as one of the most
effective strategies for addressing the global burden posed by asbestos-related diseases. It is
currently over fifteen years since Australian authorities implemented a complete ban on
asbestos intending to protect the citizens from the harms associated with asbestos. However,
there is a need for an improved definition of asbestos products to enhance better regulation
and management laws.

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH ISSUES 8
References
Baumann, F., Ambrosi, J. P., & Carbone, M. (2013). Asbestos is not just asbestos: an
unrecognised health hazard. The Lancet Oncology, 14(7), 576-578.
doi:10.1016/S1470-2045(13)70257-2
Gray, C., Carey, R. N., & Reid, A. (2016). Current and future risks of asbestos exposure in
the Australian community. International journal of occupational and environmental
health, 22(4), 292-299. doi:10.1080%2F10773525.2016.1227037
Hobday, A. J., & McDonald, J. (2014). Environmental Issues in Australia. Annual Review of
Environment and Resources, 39(1), 1–28. doi:10.1146/annurev-environ-012113-
111451
Jamrozik, E. D., de Klerk, N., & Musk, A. W. (2011). Asbestos‐related disease. Internal
medicine journal, 41(5), 372-380. doi: 10.1111/j.1445-5994.2011.02451.x
Musk, A. W., de Klerk, N. H., & Nowak, A. K. (2016). Asbestos exposure: challenges for
Australian clinicians. Med J Aust, 204, 48-9. doi: 10.5694/mja15.01072
Soeberg, M., Vallance, D. A., Keena, V., Takahashi, K., & Leigh, J. (2018). Australia's
Ongoing Legacy of Asbestos: Significant Challenges Remain Even after the Complete
Banning of Asbestos Almost Fifteen Years Ago. International journal of
environmental research and public health, 15(2), 384. doi:10.3390/ijerph15020384
Soeberg, M., Vallance, D., Keena, V., Takahashi, K., & Leigh, J. (2018). Australia’s ongoing
legacy of asbestos: significant challenges remain even after the complete banning of
asbestos almost fifteen years ago. International journal of environmental research
and public health, 15(2), 384. Retrieved from
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5858453/pdf/ijerph-15-00384.pdf