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Asbestos Management
Background
Asbestos is a group of fibrous minerals that occur naturally in the environment. Asbestos was widely used in Australia between the 1940s and late 1980s, because of its durability, fire resistance and excellent insulating properties.
Asbestos can cause health problems when fibres become airborne and are inhaled. Once inside the lungs, most fibres are removed by the body's clearance mechanisms. Remaining fibres become trapped in the lungs and, in some individuals result in serious lung diseases (asbestosis, lung cancer or mesothelioma) that may develop years later.
Asbestos-related disease is generally associated with inhaling asbestos over a long period of time. However, a very small number of people may develop mesothelioma after brief exposure. The reason why this occurs is not known, so it is always important to keep exposure to asbestos fibres as low as possible.
Asbestos Management Guidelines: Roles and Responsibilities for Government Agencies
The Department of Health and Families in consultation with other Northern Territory Government (NTG) Agencies has prepared the 'Asbestos Management Guidelines: Roles and Responsibilities for Government Agencies'. The purpose of these guidelines is to help clarify NTG Agencies' roles and responsibilities for managing asbestos issue, especially in the determination of the lead agency in an investigation.
The guidelines set out:
- legislative and non-legislative requirements for dealing with asbestos-related issues
- legislative requirements for dealing with emergency incidents involving asbestos
- roles and responsibilities of agencies involved in investigating and/or managing
- asbestos-related issues
- emergency incidents (recovery, post event).
The roles and responsibilities for managing asbestos-related issues and emergency incidents are shared by various government agencies. In certain circumstances, a single agency is involved and in others, a number of agencies work together to resolve a problem. For emergency incidents, emergency service agencies get involved in the response phase of the incident and one or more other agencies manage the post event issues that may arise.
For all situations involving more than one agency, it is essential that communication, investigation and management of the issue or incident are well coordinated. This is to ensure that any potential health risks are investigated, to protect both individual, occupational and public health and safety.
The Role of the Environmental Health Program
The Environmental Health Program provides a mainly advisory role with a controlling role where major asbestos complaints are received.
Asbestos may be treated as a public health nuisance under public health legislation, as it is similar to any other contaminant (pesticide spray drift, refuse accumulation, rodent infestation etc) or irritant (e.g. dust etc) that might interfere with the general public. Environmental Health therefore will deal with major asbestos complaints in the non-occupational environment as it would for any other public health nuisance under public health legislation.
In relation to asbestos-related issues, Environmental Health acts in an advisory capacity by:
- providing information and technical advice on managing health risks associated with public asbestos exposure
- providing advice for homeowners/occupiers on ways to safely maintain or remove asbestos in the home
- providing advice on the provisions of the Public Health Act and Public Health (Nuisance Prevention) Regulations for a potential asbestos nuisance situation. Under these provisions, the owner of a property or person causing a nuisance must take all reasonable steps to eliminate the nuisance. In this context, a 'nuisance' could be the spread of dust or fragments potentially containing asbestos
- assisting the Department of Natural Resources, Environment, The Arts and Sport (NRETAS) with public health advice on asbestos-related issues (as requested)
- advising the public on the potential health risks associated with asbestos in the home.
Asbestos Alert website
For further information about asbestos, go to the NTG Asbestos Alert website including advice for Trades / Contractors, Schools, DIY / Renovator, Public Housing Tenants, and Remote Communities.
Landfills
Landfills require licensing in accordance with the Waste Management and Pollution Control Act. For more information refer to Guidelines for the Siting, Design and Management of Solid Waste Disposal Sites in the Northern Territory and the Department of Natural Resources, Environment, The Arts and Sport
Medical Waste
Incinerators
DHF has endorsed two types of incinerators. Refer to fact sheets for more information.
Fact Sheets - Solid Waste Management
| Title | Published | No. |
|---|---|---|
| Turbo Burner Incinerator | May 2008 | 600 |
| MediBurn Incinerator | Nov 2008 | 601 |