Asbestos Aware NZ

01/07/2025

Madness...

The US’s asbestos U-turn: why the Environmental Protection Agency is reconsidering its ban https://share.google/q9NLLSouqHbjawYul

26/06/2023

In order to assist some of our students with limited English, we are currently finalizing our Standard Asbestos Awareness course in Chinese (Simplified).

19/01/2022

Head over to the page for all your asbestos related site work. They offer surveys, clearance inspections and sample testing.

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25/11/2021

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/456497/south-auckland-warehouse-blaze-saw-asbestos-travel-1km-away-review

A review of firefighting at a big South Auckland warehouse blaze says asbestos floated up to 1km away as concerns remain over Fire and Emergency safety protocols.

01/11/2021

November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month. Join with us to raise awareness. https://lungfoundation.org.nz/newsletter/

Help raise awareness about The Symptoms of Lung Cancer by sharing our BREATHE posterhttps://lungfoundation.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/LFNZ-BREATHE-Symptoms-Poster.pdf

Help raise awareness about Lung Cancer Risk Factors by sharing our Risk Factors posterhttps://lungfoundation.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Risk-1.pdf

If you know someone that has been diagnosed with lung cancer, share our patient introductory letter
https://lungfoundation.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/C005895-Patient-information-A4-1.pdf

Donate to help support our advocacy and patient support https://givealittle.co.nz/donate/org/lungfoundationnz

27/10/2021

When analyzing asbestos fibres there a several steps using polarizing light microscopy that must be followed. One of the stages involves checking the sign of elongation. The sign of elongation describes the relationship between fibre shape and vibration direction,
and the effect this has on the optical properties. Without getting into too much detail these images show amosite fibres observed during this stage.

26/08/2021

Comparison between the size of beard stubble and asbestos fibres.

04/08/2021

We have several spaces remaining on our next classroom based Asbestos Awareness course on Wednesday 25th August in Auckland.

Contact [email protected] to book your spot.

08/07/2021

Magnesite, or Magnesium Oxychloride, was a product widely used by the flooring industry between circa 1920 and 1960. It was especially used in industrial premises, as it was resistant to oil spillages; however, it was also used in residential premises.
It is a water based product, commonly reddish pink in colour, though can be pale yellow, or any other colour specified.

Magnesite flooring was made from a mixture of calcined magnesite and magnesium chloride solution with various fillers (e.g. wood flour, sawdust and ). It was typically laid between 10 and 25mm thick, but two coat applications could be up to 50mm thick. A bundle of chrysotile can be seen on the second image.

29/04/2021

"Erionite is a naturally-occurring zeolite mineral that has emerged as a well-known health hazard over the last few decades. Human exposure to erionite fibers has been unequivocally linked to malignant mesothelioma, a disease also associated with inhalation of airborne asbestos. Indeed, erionite is now classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as a Group 1 carcinogen (i.e., carcinogenic to humans), but it appears to be more toxic than asbestos".

"However, recent cases of malignant mesothelioma have emerged without a known link to asbestos exposure, and in 2015, the New Zealand Government acknowledged that erionite was a more potent carcinogen than asbestos. Despite this, there are no established occupational exposure limits for erionite in New Zealand or globally".

Patel, J., Brook, M., Di Giuseppe, D., Scognamiglio, V., and Gualtieri, A. F.: Geological occurrence, mineralogical character and preliminary risk assessment of carcinogenic erionite in New Zealand, EGU General Assembly 2021, online, 19–30 Apr 2021, EGU21-13686, https://lnkd.in/g5JX2bk, 2021.

Image Source - https://lnkd.in/gUnD9ft

25/04/2021

Today is ANZAC Day, marking the 106th anniversary of the Australian and New Zealand landing at Gallipoli.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old; Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them.

20/04/2021

Our Auckland training facility starting to take shape with some asbestos art!