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Chrysotile asbestos: zero risk to the environment
Asbestos is a natural fiber found in deposits, in the underground water, in rivers and in lakes. Every day we breathe around 17 thousand asbestos fibers, regardless of where we are in the planet, according to scientific studies. Adverse meteorological conditions or normal human activities, such as agriculture or road building can release mineral fibers in the atmosphere. These fibers, however, dont cause any impact on human health or the environment. Similarly, fiber cement products which are derived from chrysotile asbestos can be used in landfills without any prior treatment since they dont represent any environmental risk, since the mineral is encapsulated in cement or resin.
In the European Community, a Council decision deals with residues containing this mineral, as follows:
Directive 99/31/EC 2.33 on Asbestos Residues:
Construction materials containing asbestos, and other asbestos-containing residues, can be disposed of, without prior inspection, in landfill areas for non-hazardous residues, as stipulated in article six, of the directive for landfill sites.
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