• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.538-541
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• 2009

Humans have a long history of asbestos use. There are reports from the Roman era, of asbestos victims among the slaves who worked in asbestos mines. The fact that asbestos can induce lung cancer and mesothelioma was verified epidemiologically in the 1960s. Asbestos related diseases are predominantly occupational in nature but can be caused by environmental exposure. Environmental mesothelioma is mainly associated with tremolite asbestos and this information comes from many countries including Turkey, Greece, Corsica, New Caledonia and Cyprus. In 1993, the first case of mesothelioma in Korea was reported in an asbestos textile worker. Recently, some asbestos disease victims who lived near an asbestos factory have their cases before the courts. A series of recent asbestos-related events in Korea, for example, the shocking revelation of asbestos containing talc in baby powders have caused the general public to become aware of the health risks of asbestos exposure. Asbestos related diseases are characterized by a long latency period, especially, mesothelioma which has no threshold of safety. Hence the best strategy for preventing asbestos related diseases is to decrease asbestos exposure levels to as low as possible.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.163-169
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• 2010

All forms of asbestos are proven human carcinogens. All forms of asbestos cause malignant mesothelioma, lung, laryngeal, and ovarian cancers, and may cause gastrointestinal and other cancers. No exposure to asbestos is without risk, and there is no safe threshold of exposure to asbestos. Asbestos cancer victims die painful lingering deaths. These deaths are almost entirely preventable. When evidence of the carcinogenicity of asbestos became incontrovertible, concerned parties, including the Collegium Ramazzini, called for a universal ban on the mining, manufacture and use of asbestos in all countries around the world. Asbestos is now banned in 52 countries, and safer products have replaced many materials that once were made with asbestos. Nonetheless, a large number of countries still use, import, and export asbestos and asbestos-containing products. And still today in many countries that have banned other forms of asbestos, the so-called "controlled use" of chrysotile asbestos continues to be permitted, an exemption that has no basis in medical science but rather reflects the political and economic influence of the asbestos mining and manufacturing industry. To protect the health of all people in the world, industrial workers, construction workers, women and children, now and in future generations - the Collegium Ramazzini calls again today on all countries of the world, as we have repeatedly in the past, to join in the international endeavor to ban all forms of asbestos. An international ban on asbestos is urgently needed.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.107-116
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• 1989

Formation of asbestos bodies in various organs of mouse in course of time after intraperitoneal injection of three types of asbestoses was studied. Asbestos bodies as well as asbestos fibers were found both in intrapleural organs such as lung and heart and intraperitoneal organs after intraperitoneal injection of asbestos fiber this suggested the possibility that asbestos fiber could migrate to the whole body. When asbestos was injected intrapleurally asbestos fiber was found in the lung 15 days after injection but asbestos body was not found till 30 days after injection. The process of asbestos body formation was described.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.184-195
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• 2013

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to provide information in reference to the health hazards of asbestos substitutes. Methods: This study was conducted by reviewing the literature on the types of asbestos substitutes, product development using alternative materials and the health effects associated with asbestos substitutes. Results: Synthetic or natural fibers such as synthetic vitreous fiber, polyamide, attapulgite, sepiolite and wollastonite are known as asbestos substitutes. According to the patents data of the United States and Europe since the 1970s, many asbestos-free products have been developed in a variety of industries. Health hazards of some asbestos substitutes including synthetic vitreous fibers have been evaluated by many experts, however, additional researches are required to be carried out in the future. Conclusions: Alternatives to asbestos are necessary to develop the asbestos-free products. Health hazards for only several asbestos substitutes have been assessed so far and occupational exposure limit has not been established for many asbestos substitutes yet. Therefore, even though workers are handling asbestos-free products, it is recommended to control the working environment well enough in order to minimize the exposure of workers to dusts or fibers caused during the working process.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.271-281
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• 2008

This study is to characterize the occurrence types and mineralogical characteristics of asbestos for the Kwangcheon areas, Chungnam. The mine areas had been exploited as asbestos mines for several decades since 1930. Host rocks of the asbestos are serpentinites and altered rocks of the ultramafic rocks. Representative samples of the host rocks and minerals were sampled and were examined with microscopes. To confirm for the existences and compositions for the asbestos, the rock samples were analysed with EPMA, XRD and EDS. Chrysotile, tremolite and actinolite were found as asbestos and non-asbestos forms in these areas. Chrysotiles, as non-asbestos forms, occur in the host rocks with mesh and hourglass textures. They, as asbestos forms, are mainly found as the veins. The tremolite and actinolite, as asbestos types, occur as alteration products of the olivine and pyroxene within the host rocks. They, as asbestos types, are also found following the cracks and fractures. Overall results suggest that three types of the asbestos are found in the Kwangcheon and Kaewol mine areas. Based on the occurrence types for the asbestos, additional studies are required for the asbestos in the top soil and air.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2010.11a
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• pp.159.2-159.2
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• 2010

Asbestos is the collective name for a group of naturally occurring minerals in their fibrous form and hydrous silicates of magnesium and a mineral fiber that has been used commonly in a variety of building construction materials for insulation and as a fire-retardant. Asbestos has been used for a wide range of manufactured goods, because of its fiber strength and heat resistant properties. Nevertheless harmful of asbestos is quite serious. Exposure to airborne friable asbestos may result in a potential health risk because persons breathing the air may breathe in asbestos fibers. Continued exposure can increase the amount of fibers that remain in the lung. Fibers embedded in lung tissue over time may cause serious lung diseases including asbestosis, lung cancer. In this paper, we carried out as fundamental study for dispose of asbestos cement slate safely and perfectly. Melting Temperature of asbestos need to more than $1,520^{\circ}C$ and specially asbestos cement slate need more energy than that of pure asbestos. We need to decrease melting temperature of asbestos cement slate for economical efficiency. To the purpose, glass and bottom ash were chosen as additives for basicity control. we analyzed about properties of asbestos cements slate, melting characteristics on the additives ratio and temperature. We confirmed about harmlessness of melting slag through analysis of scanning electron microscope(SEM) and x-ray diffractometer(XRD).

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.325-337
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• 2014

The research on the actual condition of indoor asbestos concentration in Korea has not been thoroughly accomplished up to now. In this research the ratio of asbestos-containing buildings and indoor asbestos concentration was studied. This investigation was conducted in 2012 and 2013 and buildings were categorized based on region, building type by use, existing space(ground or basement), and construction year, respectively. Also the indoor asbestos concentration change was monitored to evaluation the efficiencies of two types of asbestos-concentration abatement devices. As a result, the ratio of asbestos-containing buildings in Seoul was largely decreased. The ratio of asbestos-containing buildings was higher in hospitals and schools regionally and in ground buildings than in basement. The average indoor asbestos concentrations were 0.0011, 0.0008 piece/cc in 2012 and 2013 investigation, respectively. Those values were much lower than standards(0.01 piece/cc), therefore the threat of indoor asbestos concentration might be negligible. In asbestos-concentration abatement experiments, the circulation velocity of ventilator were changed 2-6.7 m/sec. With 6.7 m/sec of velocity of ventilator, the concentration of indoor asbestos was fluctuated and maximum value was 2.4 piece/cc. With 4.5 and 2 m/sec of velocities of ventilator, the maximum concentration of indoor asbestos was fluctuated and maximum value was 0.9 piece/cc. This indicated that the concentration of indoor asbestos was decreased partly due to the free drop of asbestos. From these results, the proper velocity of ventilator seems to be between 4.7 and 6.5m/sec under this circumstance and further research is required. These research results may be used to guideline of asbestos management policy.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.423-432
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• 2017

Objectives: This study was conducted to evaluate asbestos handling history of workers at automobile manufacturing plants in Korea. Methods: National regulations on asbestos and Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency(KOSHA) database on the information of asbestos containing products were reviewed. We investigated asbestos related materials from one automobile manufacturing plant. Material safety data sheets(MSDS) collected in 2010, work environment monitoring results reported from 2000 to 2013, trade union reports and asbestos survey reports were reviewed. We also interviewed workers with long career and did walk-through survey. Results: The Ministry of Labor in Korea has permitted asbestos manufacturing since 1990. In 1997, the use of crocidolite and amosite asbestos were banned. In 2007, the Korean government announced a total ban on the manufacturing, importation and use of all kinds of asbestos, which took full effect in 2009. A total of 174 asbestos products information from KOSHA database was analyzed. Extruded cement panel for building, special brake for crane farm machinery, gasket, joint sheet and thermal insulator were produced until 2007. From automobile manufacturing plant survey, we confirmed that asbestos containing materials(ACM) such as gasket, heating induction materials have been used until 2011. Asbestos containing building materials(ACBM) such as bamlites, slate and ceiling tex were reported at 122 asbestos dismantling projects in 2014. Conclusion: Although the use of all kinds of asbestos were banned from 2009, ACMs and ACBMs installed before 2009 were still found at automobile manufacturing plant until 2011 and 2014 respectively. In particular, asbestos slates should be managed because most of slates had not been removed until 2014.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.405-411
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• 2020

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to investigate whether airborne fibers were released to the outside air from the asbestos removal area in buildings, and to confirm the existence of asbestos fibers in samples using transmission electron microscopy(TEM). Methods: A total of 1,295 samples was collected from inside and outside 155 asbestos removal areas. To investigate the release of asbestos fibers from the removal area, samples were collected at three locations, such as an entrance to change room, an exit of negative pressure unit(NPU) and perimeter areas. Samples were also collected in the removal area prior to and after removal activity. All samples were analyzed by phase contrast microscopy(PCM) and one-tenth of the samples was analyzed using TEM to discriminate asbestos fibers. Results: During the asbestos removal activity, 27(4.1%) of 662 samples collected outside the removal area showed airborne fiber concentrations equal to or in excess of 0.01 f/cc, the permissible emission standard of the Korean Ministry of Environment. Further, 111 samples were analyzed using TEM. The distribution of asbestos fiber concentrations was log-normal. It was found that 51 of 111 samples(46%) contained asbestos fibers. Conclusions: There is a potential risk of asbestos exposure among neighbors and the public outside the asbestos removal areas. It is recommended that the asbestos removal work be conducted strictly following the specifications required by government and/or professional organizations.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.13-27
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• 1988

Two asbestos slate manufacturing and seven asbestos textile plants in Korea were surveyed from May 20 to July 2, 1987. The purposes of this study were to evaluate 1) worker exposure to asbestos, 2) compliance to the standards and 3) the efficiency of existing local exhaust systems. Sixty-two personal samples and eighty-three area samples were collected and analyzed using "NIOSH 7400" method. Results of this study were as follows. 1. The asbesots exposure concentrations in asbestos textile plants were 1.3 - 14.3 fibers/cc(geometric mean(GM), 4.4 fibers/cc). 2. Worker exposure level to asbestos fiber in asbestos slate manufacturing industry was 0.21 fibers/cc during wet processing, which is below the Korean Standard of 2 fibers/cc. 3. Most local exhaust systems installed in asbestos textile plants were inadequately designed. 4. Ninety-six percent of the 145 samples exceeded the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) of 0.2 fibers/cc and forty-nine percent of the samples exceeded the Korean Standatd of 2 fibers/cc.