Comparison of the effects of use, protection, improper renovation and removal of asbestos products on the example of typical old office buildings in Poland

Abstract

The study focused on old, German building types "LIPSK" and "BERLIN" used in Poland, since the 1960s in Eastern Europe. The different operations on buildings were analysed: protection and maintenance of asbestos products, asbestos removal and inadvertent damage to asbestos as a result of building renovation. Measurements of respirable (countable) asbestos fibres in the air were carried out using the PCOM + PLM method and SEM-EDS. In the case of the accidental destruction of products, initial contamination was ≈7000 f/m³. After 16 weeks from the end of the activity and 20 days of extreme ventilation, contamination decreased to about 500 f/m³. At the same time, in similar rooms, without extreme ventilation, the pollution was above 4000 f/m³. The average increase in pollution in a dozen or so similar buildings, after asbestos removal in places beyond the work zones, ranged from ≈ 1700-2700 f/m³ and lasted for one or two years. These buildings, used without ACM destruction or after product impregnation, have maintained low asbestos contamination < 300 f/m³ for more than 10-20 years. So, due to the easy release of asbestos that occurs with any ACM removal and the increased risk of occupant exposure, these works are often inappropriate for the buildings in question.

Figure 1

The tested buildings. Figure: (a) and (b) Typical “BERLIN” building, general view before renovation (Poland, Warsaw), (c) Current view of building type “BERLIN” no. 2 after correct renovation (enclosure and encapsulation) (Poland, Olsztyn), Buildings type “LIPSK” in Poland, Warsaw: (d) Building type “LIPSK” after similar renovation as building type “BERLIN” no. 2, (e) Poland, Warsaw, Complex of two connected buildings of type “LIPSK”, on the left, building no. 11 (red), on the left side, building no. 7 (white) on the right side, (f) Poland, Warsaw, Buildings type “LIPSK” after asbestos removal and change of façade. Inside, on the left – “LIPSK” without any modification, removalor replacement of construction products. Typical damages of “SOKALIT” are shown in Supplementary Information 1 and 2.

Figure 2

Comparison of airborne asbestos concentration in building types “BERLIN” and MOA – during demolition. The dashed white line corresponds to changes in pollution with the complete demolition of the MOA building. The navy blue line shows changes in indoor air pollution in the “BERLIN” type building after improper renovation, which led to damage to ACM products. The measurement was carried out up to 144 weeks from the moment of suspension of works. Only the last measurement reached the level of pollution that analogous buildings had without asbestos removal. The rectangle with a pink filling shows the values measured in this building 16 weeks after the renovation was discontinued. The rectangle with a green filling, 4 examples of asbestos dust concentration values in buildings of the same type (“BERLIN”), in which asbestos has not been dismantled, are circled. Markings: orange and brown colors correspond to the building before ACM was treated with impregnating agents. Blue and green colors with a lighter and darker shade - buildings after applying the impregnating agent. Red color - building without renovation in good technical condition. In the figure, the horizontal segments represent the average value of the concentration of asbestos dust in the building, the circles - the single values in the rooms exceeding the average value.

Figure 3

Building no. 1 After 2 weeks of the wrong renovation: Renovated rooms after prolonged intensive ventilation. Rooms with damaged ACM-s, not renovated, in use. Renovated rooms not in use. Renovated rooms, normally used from two weeks to three years after completion of work. The trend of contamination changes. Building type “MOA” no. 11 During the wrong demolition: Single measured result in the average room. The trend of changes in pollution. Building “BERLIN” no. 2 A properly renovated and the others, without renovation, nos. 3, 4, 5, 3a and 4a: Average air analysis results for the entire building in 2002 (before renovation). Use without ACM restrictions. Apartment No 19. Average air analysis results for the entire building in 2006 (1 year after renovation). Apartment no. 19. Average air analysis results for the entire building in 2015 (10 years after renovation). Apartment No 19. Analysis containing the premises in which the owner, after renovation, in 2006 rearranged the internal walls on his own (in Table 3 these are the values of 1300 and 1800 f/m³). Average air analysis results for the entire building in 2022 measured results in average room analyzed in optical microscopy and SEM—EDS method (10 measurements). Buildings type “BERLIN” no. 3, 4, 5—not renovated, good condition of ACM. Average air analysis. Buildings type “BERLIN” no. 3a, 4a,—not renovated, different condition of ACM, local minor damage. Average air analysis. Average pollution in rooms with the greatest usable damage of external walls. Buildings “LIPSK” nos. 6 – 11: Building type “LIPSK” no. 6, average air analysis results after correct preservation of ACM-s. Building type “LIPSK” no. 8–10, average air analysis results outside of leaky work zones during asbestos removal in these zones. Building type “LIPSK” no. 11, average air analysis result in rooms during asbestos removal in building no 7. Both buildings are connected and were separated during renovation. Building type “LIPSK” no. 7, average air analysis result in rooms, 10 month after finished asbestos removal and final cleaning of all the building.

Figure 4

(a) Trend of changes in Building no. 1 over time. The X-axis is the elapsed time [in weeks], and the Y-axis is the concentration of respirable asbestos fibres [f/m³]. (b) Trend of changes in Building no. 2 over time. The X-axis is the elapsed time [in weeks], and the Y-axis is the concentration of respirable asbestos fibres [f/m³].

Figure 5

Changes in concentration of internal air pollution in “LIPSK” buildings during use and asbestos removal. Comparison of three buildings over a 40-week period. Filled diamond Asbestos dismantling. The increase in indoor air pollution after the work (after the 10th week) was caused by the drying of the walls. Filled square Normal room operation and Filled triangle Normal room operation (with standard operational ACM damage. After the tenth week from the start of the research, measures limiting the destruction of products and dust emission were introduced in the use of the buildings).

Figure 6

Estimated balance of asbestos-borne changes in rooms outside the work zones of “LIPSK” and “BERLIN” buildings subject to the asbestos removal process, taking into account routine execution errors.