National Asbestos Awareness Month

November is national Asbestos Awareness Month. In the lead-up to Asbestos Awareness Day on Friday, 25 November, all Australians, especially homeowners, renovators, trades people and handymen are urged to ‘Get to kNOw Asbestos this NOvember’ and learn how to protect from exposure to dangerous asbestos fibres.

Whether a home is constructed of weatherboard, brick, fibro or has exterior cladding, asbestos can be found in and around most homes built or renovated before 1987.

There is no known safe level of exposure to asbestos fibres. According to a report published by the Australian Mesothelioma Register, Australia has one of the highest incidences of malignant mesothelioma in the world.

If left undisturbed and well-maintained, asbestos-containing products generally don’t pose a health risk. However, if these products are disturbed and fibres are released during a renovation, a demolition or the redevelopment of an old fibro home site, health risks can occur.

The National Asbestos Awareness Month Campaign is the initiative of the Asbestos Education Committee working in partnership with the Asbestos Diseases Research Institute. Launched in 2011, the campaign became a national initiative in 2012 with the aim of increasing awareness of the dangers of asbestos.

For more information, visit asbestosawareness.com.au to learn how to identify and safely manage asbestos-containing materials commonly found in and around homes.