Healthcare

Biography

Abstract

Introduction: A new law “Regeneration of Areas under Disaster Risk” was published in May 2012 and after adaptation of law 35 risky cities are determined as risky areas within the scope of urban renovation studies. Due to the improvement of living conditions and having highly risk of earthquake reasons, demoliting of nearly 7 million buildings at our country  has started and in this context with the renovation of illegal, risky or poor buildings it is aimed to construct more healthy and safe buildings.

As a result of uncontrolled or insufficient demolition studies one of the possible health problem is asbestos exposure.  In light of asbestos usage history in Turkey we can estimate that 30 or elder aged buildings have high possibility to involve asbestos built-in. Asbestos is a cancerogenic material and usage, production, import, export and sailing of asbestos is banned in Turkey in 2010. In despite of urban regeneration’s benefit, asbestos risk needs attention during demolition or dismantling operations because it threatens public, employer and environmental health and causes irreversible diseases.

Objectives: The aim of this study is; evaluation of asbestos existence at buildings and their distribution in Ä°stanbul. Results are deduced from the asbestos survey reports which must be prepared by an impartial asbestos company before demolition of old building.

Methods: Asbestos survey studies which have realized by 5 different asbestos company between January, 2016 and June, 2018 are viewed and as a person accompanied some of the survey studies. 6993 asbestos bulk sample analysis are realized in the scope of 974 survey studies and sample analysis are done by using Polarise Light Microscope and Scanning Electron Microscope. Results represents the 23 different district of Ä°stanbul and samples are taken from different part of buildings such as isolation ad ceiling material, sheet rock, putty, coatings, gaskets, vinyl floor covering etc.

Results: 420 of 6993 samples are containing different type and individual or mixed form of asbestos. Most of asbestos containing materials are eternit ceiling material, putties, isolation material and gaskets.

Conclusion:

Asbestos is cancerogenic material and during demolition of old buildings asbestos management carries vital importance. As a legal necessity owner of building must declare asbestos survey report and according the bulk sample analysis results continuing or stopping the demolition activity is decided. Regarding demolition activities of 23 different district in Ä°stanbul, 6 % of buildings have asbestos containing material.