What are the implications for Australia if asbestos is not managed?

Peter TigheChief Executive Officer, Asbestos Safety and Eradication Agency

The Asbestos Safety and Eradication Agency Act 2013 passed with

bipartisan support - Agency commenced operation on 1 July 2013.

Focus on issues beyond work, health and safety to encompass

environmental and public health issues.

Responsible for implementation and delivery of National Strategic Plan

for Asbestos Management and Awareness.

Agency / Minister for Employment informed by the Asbestos Safety and

Eradication Council.

Asbestos Safety and Eradication Agency

www.asbestossafety.gov.au

Australian deaths due to mesothelioma: 1997 to 2014

Mesothelioma in Australia 2014, Australian Mesothelioma Registry, released 31 August 2015

• 607 deaths from mesothelioma in 2014

• figures usually rise due to discovery of new cases previously undisclosed for that period

• 80% male, 20% female

New cases of mesothelioma 1982 to 2014

Mesothelioma in Australia 2014, Australian Mesothelioma Registry, released 31 August 2015

• 641 new notifications of mesothelioma in 2014

• figures will rise due to discovery on new cases previously undisclosed in that year

• 80% male, 20% female

www.asbestossafety.gov.au

Baseline awareness survey – general public

• 53% of the general public said they had a good to very good knowledge of the dangers associated with exposure to asbestos

• 47% described themselves as only having moderately to no knowledge of the dangers

• By demographic factors:

o those under 40 rated themselves as being less knowledgeable than those over 40

o males felt more informed than females

o Those in regional areas were also more likely to feel more informed than those in metropolitan locations

Self-assessed knowledge of asbestos & its dangers is moderate at best:

www.asbestossafety.gov.au

Baseline awareness survey - tradespeople

• 94% said it was important for them to know about asbestos and its related dangers

• 1 in 5 tradespeople (20%) rated their own knowledge as only moderate or below when asked to assess their own knowledge of asbestos and its related dangers

• Suggests there are still many tradespeople who feel they could further increase their knowledge on this issue. Conclusions:o Not all tradespeople are confident in their ability to identify asbestoso Some still appear willing to take risks in relation to managing

asbestos on a work siteo Close to a third of tradespeople want further additional training on

asbestos and its dangers

Self-assessed knowledge of asbestos & its dangers is good but not yet universal:

• Estimated one third of current homes built between 1945 to the late 1980s contains asbestos – potentially 1.8 million homes

• ACMs can be found in most areas of house, kitchen, bathroom, underfloor, outside cladding

Third wave – DIY taking off

• $55 billion per year industry* in Australia

• ACMs deteriorate over time if not maintained properly, public risk

* http://www.ibisworld.com.au/media/2013/07/26/blockbusters-unite-diy-is-still-flying-high/

www.asbestossafety.gov.au

Third wave – DIY problems

• 641 new notifications of mesothelioma in 2014 - this figure usually rises due to discovery of new cases previously undisclosed for that period

• Out of 449 survey participants, 377 were assessed as possible or probable exposure in non-occupational contexts:

– 218 possible cases where reported doing major home renovations involving asbestos products

– 66 cases of possible exposure while living in same home as someone with asbestos-exposed job who came home dusty

Australian Mesothelioma Register 2014 - released August 2015

www.asbestossafety.gov.au

Medical Journal of Australia 195 (5), 5 September 2011

Key findings:

• 87 reported cases of mesothelioma attributed to exposure during home maintenance and renovation since 1987.

• Over the past 20 years there has been a rise in the number of third-wave victims who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma after short-term and/or low-levels of exposure to asbestos in the home or workplace.

Medical researchIncreasing incidence of malignant mesothelioma after exposure to asbestos during home maintenance and renovation – 2011 (Western Australia)

www.asbestossafety.gov.au

Medical researchIncreasing incidence of malignant mesothelioma after exposure to asbestos during home maintenance and renovation – 2011 (Western Australia)

Home Renovators

www.asbestossafety.gov.au

Asbestos exposure during home renovation in New South Wales

Medical research

Medical Journal of Australia 199 (6), 16 September 2013

Key findings:

• 1597 survey participants (44.2% of those surveyed) had renovated their homes.

• 53.7% of this group had engaged in DIY activities.

• 61% of this group reported having been exposed to asbestos during renovations.

• 39.3% reported that their partner had been exposed

• 22.8% reported that their children had been exposed

• Home renovators constitute the largest proportion of all non-occupational cases of mesothelioma.

www.asbestossafety.gov.au

• The Plan has been developed in consultation with all levels of government and stakeholders, and was signed in March 2015.

• Where there is a common focus – it will look at the coordination or correlation of efforts

• The Plan facilitates information sharing by governments and developing a national picture

• Phased approach – using aspirational aims

• 6 key strategies in awareness, best practice, identification, removal, research and international leadership.

Revised National Strategic Plan for Asbestos Management and Awareness 2014-2018

www.asbestossafety.gov.au

13

Strategic goal one: Awareness

www.asbestossafety.gov.au

• One-stop-shop website and online resources

• Supporting development of national awareness program for health professionals and community

• Review of existing asbestos communications campaigns

• Awareness and Management Conferences, 2014 and 2015

• Grant funding for awareness/education programmes and events

Increase public awareness of the health risks posed by working with or being exposed to asbestos

Strategic goal two: Best Practice

www.asbestossafety.gov.au

• Strengthening asbestos-related training in utilities sector

• Grant funding to support awareness training to trade students - ADSSA

• Best practice case studies

• NSP evaluation

Identify and share best practice in asbestos management, education, handling, storage and disposal

Strategic goal three: Identification

www.asbestossafety.gov.au

Improve the identification and grading of asbestos and sharing of information regarding the location of ACMs

• Asbestos identification tool – pilot project

• Buyer behaviour/influences in residential property sector

• Research into identification and grading tools in Australia

• Asbestos identification in the home

• Strategic review of practice and use of asbestos registers

Strategic goal four: Removal

www.asbestossafety.gov.au

Identify priority areas where ACMs present a risk, identify the barriers to the safe removal of asbestos and review management and removal infrastructure

to estimate the capacity and rate for the safe removal of asbestos

• Identification of current and future capacity for asbestos waste removal

• Study into existing asbestos regulations and their impact on business and productivity

• Remote community legacy asbestos mapping project – grant funding

• Asbestos in Indigenous communities

Strategic goal five: Research

www.asbestossafety.gov.au

Commission, monitor and promote research into the prevention of asbestos exposure and asbestos-related disease

• Projections for future burden of mesothelioma in Australia

• Evidenced based report on risks of asbestos exposure in Australian community

• Review issues and initiatives to combat illegal dumping of ACMs

• Testing of actual fibre release during removal work

Strategic goal six: International leadership

www.asbestossafety.gov.au

Australia continues to play a leadership role in a global campaign for a worldwide ban on asbestos mining and manufacturing

• Working with key stakeholders on Rotterdam Convention, progressing bans in South East Asia, India etc

• Funding for APHEDA pilot project in Vietnam

• International involvement in conference

• Helping to strengthen customs and border protection actions

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• Building, Construction and Demolition Sectors (BCDS) Committee:

– Providing advice to agency on asbestos issues in the BCDS industries

– Membership broad cross section of employee/employer organisations

• Research Advisory Committee:

– Providing advice on development of strategic research plan

– other advice on areas of priority

– Assessment of proposals for research projects

Agency committees

National Asbestos Exposure Register

• National Asbestos Exposure Register launched June 2013

• If you have been exposed and if you have been potentially exposed to asbestos

• Over 3,449 registrations from June 2013 to 31 Dec 2015

• Approx. 80% male, 20% female

• 45% of registrations in NSW

• Includes self reports of exposure to loose-fill asbestos

www.asbestossafety.gov.au/national-asbestos-exposure-register

www.asbestossafety.gov.au

Level 10, 255 Elizabeth Street, SYDNEY NSW 2000

Asbestos Safety and Eradication Agency

enquiries@asbestossafety.gov.au

@AsbestosSafety @Peter_Tighe

1300 326 148

www.asbestossafety.gov.au