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Asbestos: properties, detection, environmental risks, hazard assessment, waste management, and regulatory approaches (literature review)

Asbestos: properties, detection, environmental risks, hazard assessment, waste management, and regulatory approaches (literature review)

ISSN 2223-6775 Ukrainian journal of occupational health Vol.21, No 2, 2025

https://doi.org/10.33573/ujoh2025.02.174

ASBESTOS: PROPERTIES, DETECTION, ENVIRONMENTAL RISKS, HAZARD ASSESSMENT, WASTE MANAGEMENT, AND REGULATORY APPROACHES

Andrusyshyna I.M., Belyuga O.G., Movchan V.O., Zinchenko V.M., Leonenko O.B.

State Institution "Kundiiev Institute of Occupational Health of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine", Kyiv, Ukraine.

Full article (PDF), UKR

Introduction. Asbestos has long been used in industrial and residential construction, leaving a legacy of widespread asbestos-containing materials (ACM) that continue to affect both the environment and human health. In Ukraine, military operations and extensive shelling have generated tens of millions of tons of debris from destroyed buildings and infrastructure, much of which may contain asbestos, thus creating an additional source of dust pollution in urban areas. This situation highlights the urgent need for standardization and modern approaches to identifying sources of asbestos fiber pollution. In recent years, Ukraine has introduced significant legislative changes in asbestos management, aligning its policies with European Union standards through accelerated harmonization efforts.

The aim. This study provides an analytical overview of the current state of asbestos-related environmental contamination arising from industrial activities and armed conflict. It examines the health risks of asbestos exposure in occupational settings, reviews modern methodological approaches for its detection and regulation, and outlines disposal and management options.

Materials and methods. The review is based on domestic and international publications, covering asbestos pollution and its toxicological impact on humans and animals, as well as regulatory frameworks and guidance from international organizations and Ukrainian authorities.

Results. One of the major environmental consequences of the Russian–Ukrainian war has been large-scale destruction of civil, industrial, and transport infrastructure. The resulting waste streams, which often contain asbestos, pose serious challenges for environmental safety and require effective strategies for safe management and disposal. According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), all forms of asbestos are classified as Group I carcinogens (“carcinogenic to humans”), associated with asbestosis, lung and laryngeal cancers, ovarian cancer, and malignant mesothelioma of the pleura, peritoneum, and pericardium. The most hazardous ACMs include asbestos cement dust, asbestos fibers, bulk asbestos waste, asbestos paper, asbestos crumbs, and rubber-asbestos products (paronite, shibes, gaskets), all of which are of particular concern in demolition and firefighting contexts.

Conclusions. The scale of destruction in Ukraine and the urgent need for reconstruction underscore the importance of robust mechanisms for asbestos regulation and safe waste management. Strict compliance with existing legislation and further development of control measures are essential to reducing risks for both the general population and workers exposed to asbestos-containing debris.

Keywords: asbestos, environmental impact, occupational health, detection methods

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