Classification and management of asbestos-containing waste: European legislation and the Italian experience

The deviation of farmers' willingness and behavior of domestic waste separation: a study on neighborhood effects and policy interventions

Based on the perspective of combining informal and formal systems, this paper empirically explores the impact of neighborhood effects and policy interventions on the deviation of farmers' willingness and behavior of domestic waste separation (DWS) by using data from the China Land Economy Survey (CLES) and constructing a probit model. It should be explained that the neighborhood effect in this paper refers to the fact that the behavior of farmers is highly susceptible to the behavior of their neighbors in the process of production and living. The results of the study show that neighborhood effects and policy interventions have a significant negative impact on the deviation of farmers' willingness and behavior of DWS, respectively. Comparison of marginal effects shows that neighborhood effects > environmental advocacy > reward and punishment policies. From the interaction effects as a whole, neighborhood effects and policy interventions have complementary effects on the deviation of farmers' willingness and behavior of DWS, with the complementary effects of neighborhood effects and environmental advocacy being more significant. Heterogeneity analysis reveals that neighborhood effects completely replace the inhibitory effect of policy interventions on the deviation of high-income farmers' willingness and behavior of DWS, but have no effect on political elite farmers. The interaction between neighborhood effects and policy interventions has complementary effects on low-income farmers and ordinary farmers, with the complementary effects of neighborhood effects and environmental advocacy being more significant.

Sedimentological features of asbestos cement fragments in coastal environments (Taranto, southern Italy)

Asbestos cement materials (ACMs) are widespread in coastal environments as result of illegal dumping activities. This study focuses on the Taranto area (Italy) in the Mar Grande basin within the northern sector of the Ionian Sea. The complex history of dumping building materials containing high amounts of ACM into the coastal zone, and the erosion, transport and deposition in Marechiaro Bay is a serious environmental hazard. An interdisciplinary research methodology defines the temporal dumping succession, and the erosional processes and phases, the diffusion of ACM, the mineralogical characteristics, and existing physical status of the ACM. A multiscale investigation was conducted. Results show that from 1992 to 2000 a significant increment of dumping operations have occurred. The current cliff has been subject to erosion and redeposition phases, developing a new beach composed of these polluted man-made sediments. The findings persuade the local authorities to close the beach requiring remediation interventions.

Environmental management criteria, aimed at public policymaking, for the removal and disposal of asbestos-containing building materials in Colombia

Asbestos is a carcinogenic mineral banned in Colombia since 1 January 2021; however, there is a considerable amount of asbestos-containing building materials (ACBM) installed across the country in products such as roof tiles, tanks, pipes, and downspouts. Installed ACBM represent an exposure risk when the mineral fibers are released into the air through deterioration, damage, or disturbance of the cement matrix within which the asbestos is contained. Due to potential detrimental impacts on human health, safe management and correct handling of ACBM is a matter of vital importance. This article proposes evidence-based environmental management guidelines, aimed at public policymaking, for the removal and final disposal of installed ACBM in Colombia. A descriptive study was carried out, with a qualitative approach, based on an integrative literature review of international practices applied in the removal and disposal of installed ACBM. Forty scientific publications were reviewed, as well as the regulations for removal, transport, and final disposal of installed asbestos-cement from Australia, the USA, Italy, Chile, the UK, and Canada. Guidelines for the removal and final disposal of installed ACBM are proposed, suggesting the following stages: (a) diagnosis and management plan of installed ACBM, (b) removal of installed ACBM, (c) transport of ACBM waste, and (d) final disposal of ACBM waste. Expert opinion was collected to assess the local feasibility of the proposed guidelines. These guidelines may help direct national and regional agencies to establish comprehensive strategies with clear, measurable, and achievable goals for future replacement of installed ACBM. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2023;00:1-10. © 2023 SETAC.

Elemental imaging approach to assess the ability of subaerial biofilms growing on constructions located in tropical climates as potential biomonitors of atmospheric heavy metals pollution

Over the last decades, the concern about air pollution has increased significantly, especially in urban areas. Active sampling of air pollutants requires specific instrumentation not always available in all the laboratories. Passive sampling has a lower cost than active alternatives but still requires efforts to cover extensive areas. The use of biological systems as passive samplers might be a solution that provides information about air pollution to assist decision-makers in environmental health and urban planning. This study aims to employ subaerial biofilms (SABs) growing naturally on façades of historical and recent constructions as natural passive biomonitors of atmospheric heavy metals pollution. Concretely, SABs spontaneously growing on constructions located in a tropical climate, like the one of the city of Barranquilla (Colombia), have been used to develop the methodological approach here presented as an alternative to SABS grown under laboratory conditions. After a proper identification of the biocolonizers in the SAB through taxonomic and morphological observations, the study of the particulate matter accumulated on the SABs of five constructions was conducted under a multi-analytical approach based mainly on elemental imaging studies by micro Energy Dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (μ-EDXRF) and Scanning Electron Microscopy coupled with Energy Dispersive X-ray spectrometry (SEM-EDS) techniques, trying to reduce the time needed and associated costs. This methodology allowed to discriminate metals that are part of the original structure of the SABs, from those coming from the anthropogenic emissions. The whole methodology applied assisted the identification of the main metallic particles that could be associated with nearby anthropogenic sources of emission such as Zn, Fe, Mn, Ni and Ti by SEM-EDS and by μ-EDXRF Ba, Sb, Sn, Cl and Br apart others; revealing that it could be used as a good alternative for a rapid screening of the atmospheric heavy metals pollution.

Asbestos in soil and water: A review of analytical techniques and methods

In this review the main standard and novel analytical techniques and methods for sampling, sample preparation, detection and quantification of asbestos in soil and water are described, compared and discussed in terms of advantages and limitations. An overview of common analytical methods applied for identification and quantification of airborne asbestos is preliminary provided, as they have been widely studied, due to the well-known human pathologies related to fibers inhalation. Despite the presence of asbestos in soil and water may also constitute a health risk, it has been less investigated and regulated. For these environmental matrices, the methods adopted at international and national scale, covering the whole analytical process, from sampling to management of data, are reported in depth, highlighting their limitations like sensitivity, reliability and reproducibility. Finally, different promising novel/unconventional methods, that may substitute or support traditional ones for asbestos detection both in environmental and anthropic matrices, are presented and critically evaluated.

Assessment of asbestos and asbestos waste quantity in the built environment of transition country

Managing asbestos streams in developing and transition countries is particularly challenging. Deficiencies are often present for adequate procedures for the management of asbestos waste; solid quality data or databases on the quantities of asbestos production and usage are missing and asbestos inventories or the registry of asbestos-related diseases following European Union (EU) or other regulations are not in place. This paper aims to develop a model for determining and assessing the quantity of asbestos in the built environment of a transition country. Quantities of asbestos products and life expectancy of those products were assessed to develop a model that forecasts flows and stocks of asbestos products and wastes. The overall objective is to evaluate the model and show the manifestation of asbestos in the waste stream in a case study on a country with a transition economy, such as Serbia. Results show that total quantities of asbestos fibre consumption are approximately 0.5 million tonnes; the largest amount of waste generation is expected in the 2020s. Therefore, it is necessary to prepare for the forthcoming quantities of waste by improving legal procedures, implementation of existing regulations, and provision of economic resources. An important link for the adequate management of asbestos waste is to raise public awareness of the dangers and importance of proper and timely disposal of asbestos products.

Assessment of Global Trends in the Diagnosis of Mesothelioma From 1990 to 2017

IMPORTANCE

It is difficult for policy makers and clinicians to formulate targeted management strategies for mesothelioma because data on current epidemiological patterns worldwide are lacking.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the mesothelioma burden across the world and describe its epidemiological distribution over time and by sociodemographic index (SDI) level, geographic location, sex, and age.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

Annual case data and age-standardized rates of incidence, death, and disability-adjusted life-years associated with mesothelioma among different age groups were obtained from the Global Burden of Disease 2017 database. The estimated annual percentage changes in age-standardized rates were calculated to evaluate temporal trends in incidence and mortality. The study population comprised individuals from 21 regions in 195 countries and territories who were diagnosed with mesothelioma between 1990 and 2017. Data were collected from May 23, 2019, to January 18, 2020.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Primary outcomes were incident cases, deaths, and their age-standardized rates and estimated annual percentage changes. Secondary outcomes were disability-adjusted life-years and relative temporal trends.

RESULTS

Overall, 34 615 new cases (95% uncertainty interval [UI], 33 530-35 697 cases) of mesothelioma and 29 909 deaths (95% UI, 29 134-30 613 deaths) associated with mesothelioma were identified in 2017, and more than 70% of these cases and deaths were among male individuals. In 1990, the number of incident cases was 21 224 (95% UI, 17 503-25 450), and the number of deaths associated with mesothelioma was 17 406 (95% UI, 14 495-20 660). These numbers increased worldwide from 1990 to 2017, with more than 50% of cases recorded in regions with high SDI levels, whereas the age-standardized incidence rate (from 0.52 [95% UI, 0.43-0.62] in 1990 to 0.44 [95% UI, 0.42-0.45] in 2017) and the age-standardized death rate (from 0.44 [95% UI, 0.37-0.52] in 1990 to 0.38 [95% UI, 0.37-0.39] in 2017) decreased, with estimated annual percentage changes of -0.61 (95% CI, -0.67 to -0.54) for age-standardized incidence rate and -0.44 (95% CI, -0.52 to -0.37) for age-standardized death rate. The proportion of incident cases among those 70 years or older continued to increase (from 36.49% in 1990 to 44.67% in 2017), but the proportion of patients younger than 50 years decreased (from 16.74% in 1990 to 13.75% in 2017) over time. In addition, mesothelioma incident cases and age-standardized incidence rates began to decrease after 20 years of a complete ban on asbestos use. For example, in Italy, a complete ban on asbestos went into effect in 1992; incident cases increased from 1409 individuals (95% UI, 1013-1733 individuals) in 1990, peaked in 2015 after 23 years of the asbestos ban, then decreased from 1820 individuals (95% UI, 1699-1981 individuals) in 2015 to 1746 individuals (95% UI, 1555-1955 individuals) in 2017.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

This cross-sectional study found that incident cases of mesothelioma and deaths associated with mesothelioma continuously increased worldwide, especially in resource-limited regions with low SDI levels. Based on these findings, global governments and medical institutions may consider formulating optimal policies and strategies for the targeted prevention and management of mesothelioma.

From hazardous asbestos containing wastes (ACW) to new secondary raw material through a new sustainable inertization process: A multimethodological mineralogical study

Nowadays, asbestos-containing wastes (ACW) still represent an important environmental problem and a severe health hazard due to the well known pulmonary diseases derived from asbestos fibers inhalation. Except for a very few cases, ACW are currently confined in controlled landfills, giving rise to increasingly high amounts of still hazardous wastes. A promising alternative to landfill confinement is represented by ACW inertization, but the high cost of the inertization processes so far proposed by the scientific community have hampered the creation of actually operative plants. In this paper, we explore the possibility to use an innovative process that ensures the obtainment of asbestos-free inert material in an exceptionally short processing time, thus greatly reducing cost-related problems. The efficacy of the inertization process has been verified through accurate mineralogical investigations on both chrysotile and crocidolite de-activated fibers, through X-ray diffraction, scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Overall mineralogical, microstructural and granulometric characteristics of the inert bulk material suggest that it could be successfully re-used as a secondary raw material in ceramic industries. This innovative inertization procedure could therefore provide an effective and economically sustainable solution for ACW management.

Characterization of Demolition Construction Waste Containing Asbestos, and the Release of Fibrous Dust Particles

This paper focuses on the characterization of demolition construction waste containing asbestos fibers and the monitoring of fibrous dust released from asbestos–cement products (ACPs) during their removal from a three-story industrial building. Asbestos-containing products removal was carried out according to a demolition management system in terms of protection of workers. The results of a chemical analysis, X-ray diffraction analysis, infrared analysis and scanning electron microscopy of demolition waste samples confirmed the same material quality of asbestos–cement (AC) elements used throughout the building. In addition, a MgO/SiO2 ratio corresponding to a serpentine silicate mineral of chrysotile was detected by means of X-ray fluorescence analysis. Also, crystalline phase calcium silicates and calcium carbonates from the cement matrix were identified in the AC waste. The relatively large differences in the elemental analysis between the sample area and the individual points found by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopic mapping are related to the composition heterogeneity. The highest content of magnesium occurs where asbestos fibers predominate in the cement matrix. The measured number concentrations of asbestos fibers before, during, and after asbestos–cement products removal were compared to outdoor concentrations. Indoor concentrations of asbestos fibers during the removal of AC materials did not exceed the permissible limit for a working environment (1000 fibers per one m3), except in three spots out of all the working sites inside the building. A relationship between the number and mass concentrations of asbestos dust is shown.

Hydrothermal process development for the treatment of crocidolite asbestos waste

The asbestos-containing waste management is a public health topic for countries which have used this mineral. Treatment of chrysotile (white asbestos), a phyllosilicate from serpentine, crocidolite (blue asbestos, first results on this kind of asbestos), one of the five asbestos varieties of amphibole family and asbestos-containing waste conversion process is proposed by using hydrothermal treatment in supercritical water. All samples were treated in an Inconel Batch Reactor. The treatment durations range is from 1 to 6 hours, temperatures range is from 400°C to 750°C, mass concentration range is from 0.02 to 170 mg. mL^-1 and pressures are higher than 23 MPa. Ultrapure water is used for sample preparation. This ultrapure water is used to monitor mineral leaching on the aqueous phase and to avoid particle cross-contamination. Transmission electron microscopy analyses were carried out to check the presence or not of asbestos phase. According to these analyses, the best conditions of conversion were 1 hour and 0.02 mg. mL^-1 for chrysotile, 3 hours and 0.02 mg. mL^-1 for crocidolite and 1 hour and 20 mg. mL^-1 for asbestos-containing waste, at T = 750°C. Supercritical water conditions were maintained during the whole treatment. The X-ray diffraction showed that the main phases present after treatments were riebeckite and magnetite (crocidolite), forsterite and enstatite (chrysotile), and calcite, spurrite and gehlenite (asbestos-containing waste). Finally, a scanning electron microscopy analysis was performed to monitor morphological fibre change. The elongated structure, partially fragmented, was found in all samples.

Improved bioleaching of copper and zinc from brake pad waste by low-temperature thermal pretreatment and its mechanisms

A considerable amount of brake pad waste which is composed of phenolic resin and a variety of toxic heavy metals is produced both in China and around the world owing to the flourishing automobile industry. The safe, low cost and eco-sound bioleaching was utilized to extract the valuable metals Cu and Zn from the waste. The results showed that although bioleaching is more efficient in the extraction of Cu and Zn than the chemical counterpart, rather low bioleaching yields of 34% for Cu and 72% for Zn were obtained because of the complicated components and refractory nature of the waste. However, a low-temperature thermal pretreatment at 400 °C notably lifted the bioleaching efficiencies of Cu and Zn to 98% and nearly 100%, respectively. The thermal treatment removed the oil substances, transformed the acid insoluble Cu⁰ into acid soluble CuO and destroyed the chelation/complexation of the phenolic resin to loose Cu and Zn, promoting bioleaching performance of Cu and Zn. The combined processes of low-temperature thermal pretreatment and bioleaching is totally qualified for the extraction of Cu and Zn from the refractory waste.

Obtaining an Artificial Aggregate from Cement-Asbestos Waste by the Melting Technique in an Arc-Resistance Furnace

Nowadays, asbestos waste still remains a serious problem. Due to the carcinogenic properties of asbestos, which are related to its fibrous structure, the exposure to asbestos mineral and asbestos-containing materials (ACM) causes dangerous health effects. This problem can be solved by recycling techniques, which allow the re-use of neutralized asbestos waste, instead of disposing it in special landfills. The article presents the results of research aimed at investigating the possibility of obtaining aggregates from asbestos waste by the fusion process in the electric arc-resistance process. A mixture of ACM with selected fluxes was were melted and then cast to form a grain of aggregates. The chemical composition of the material was determined before and after the melting process. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were applied to evaluate the effects of the fusion process. The main properties of the obtained aggregate were also measured. The results confirmed that the fibrous structure of asbestos was destroyed in the obtained material, which can be successfully used for the production of artificial aggregates.

Structural and microstructural aspects of asbestos-cement waste vitrification

The main goal of the work was to evaluate the vitrification process of asbestos-cement waste (ACW). A mixture of 50 wt% ACW and 50 wt% glass cullet was melted in an electric furnace at 1400 °C for 90 min and then cast into a steel mold. The vitrified product was subjected to annealing. Optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to evaluate the effects of the vitrification. The chemical constitution of the material before and after the vitrification process was also analyzed. It was found that the vitrified product has an amorphous structure in which the components of asbestos-cement waste are incorporated. MIR spectroscopy showed that the absorption bands of chrysotile completely disappeared after the vitrification process. The results of the spectroscopic studies were confirmed by X-ray studies - no diffraction reflections from the chrysotile crystallographic planes were observed. As a result of the treatment, the fibrous asbestos construction, the main cause of its pathogenic properties, completely disappeared. The vitrified material was characterized by higher resistance to ion leaching in an aquatic environment than ACW and a smaller volume of nearly 72% in relation to the apparent volume of the substrates. The research has confirmed the high effectiveness of vitrification in neutralizing hazardous waste containing asbestos and the FT-IR spectroscopy was found to be useful to identify asbestos varieties and visualizing changes caused by the vitrification process. The work also presents the current situation regarding the utilization of asbestos-containing products.

Asbestos containing materials detection and classification by the use of hyperspectral imaging

In this work, hyperspectral imaging in the short wave infrared range (SWIR: 1000-2500nm) coupled with chemometric techniques was evaluated as an analytical tool to detect and classify different asbestos minerals, such as amosite ((Fe²⁺)₂(Fe²⁺,Mg)₅Si₈O₂₂(OH)₂)), crocidolite (Na₂(Mg,Fe)₆Si₈O₂₂(OH)₂) and chrysotile (Mg₃(Si₂O₅)(OH)₄), contained in cement matrices. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was used for data exploration and Soft Independent Modeling of Class Analogies (SIMCA) for sample classification. The classification model was built using spectral characteristics of reference asbestos samples and then applied to the asbestos containing materials. Results showed that identification and classification of amosite, crocidolite and chrysotile was obtained based on their different spectral signatures, mainly related to absorptions detected in the hydroxyl combination bands, such as Mg-OH (2300nm) and Fe-OH (from 2280 to 2343nm). The developed SIMCA model showed very good specificity and sensitivity values (from 0.89 to 1.00). The correctness of classification results was confirmed by stereomicroscopic investigations, based on different color, morphological and morphometrical characteristics of asbestos minerals, and by micro X-ray fluorescence maps, through iron (Fe) and magnesium (Mg) distribution assessment on asbestos fibers. The developed innovative approach could represent an important step forward to detect asbestos in building materials and demolition waste.

Treatments of asbestos containing wastes

Since the second half of the twentieth century, many studies have indicated inhalation of asbestos fibers as the main cause of deadly diseases including fibrosis and cancer. Consequently, since the beginning of the 80s, many countries started banning production and use of asbestos containing products (ACP), although still present in private and public buildings. Due to some extraordinary catastrophic events and/or the aging of these products, people's health and environmental risk associated with the inhalation of asbestos fibers keeps being high even in those countries where it was banned. For these reasons, many communities are developing plans for an environmental and sanitary safe asbestos removal and management. Asbestos containing wastes (ACW) are usually disposed in controlled landfills, but this practice does not definitively eliminate the problems related with asbestos fiber release and conflicts with the ideas of sustainable land use, recycling, and closing material cycles. Consequently, many scientific papers and patents proposed physical, chemical, and biological treatments aimed to the detoxification of ACW (or the reduction of their health effects) and looking for the adoption of technologies, which allow the reuse of the end-products. By including recent relevant bibliography, this report summarizes the status of the most important and innovative treatments of ACW, providing main operating parameters, advantages, and disadvantages.

Neutralization of cement-asbestos waste by melting in an arc-resistance furnace

The paper presents the results of research on asbestos waste disposal by the melting process. The tests were carried out in a laboratory arc-resistance electric furnace. The obtained results showed that the fibrous structure of asbestos contained in cement-asbestos waste was completely destroyed. This led to the formation of new mineral phases without dangerous properties. The melting test was conducted on raw cement-asbestos samples without any additives and with a content of mineral compounds, the aim of which was to support the melting process. The additives were selected among others on the basis of the computer simulation results carried out using FactSage database computing system. The research results indicate that the melting process of asbestos wastes is a potential and interesting method of neutralizing hazardous asbestos waste, which allows for further treatment and material recycling.