Natural Disasters Causing Asbestos Exposure
Natural disasters that strike buildings that contain asbestos products can cause disruption of the material and release of disease-causing asbestos fibers into the air. There is risk of exposure not only during the disaster itself, but during the cleanup period afterwards.
Asbestos and Fires
Asbestos has long been valued for its fire-retardant properties, so in natural disasters involving fires, asbestos often comes through unscathed. However, although the asbestos itself is flame-retardant, the materials surrounding it may not be, raising the possibility that fibers may be released into the air in a fire.
Asbestos and Earthquakes
Earthquakes pose a bigger threat in buildings containing asbestos, as it is much more likely for the asbestos fibers to become disrupted in this situation.
Asbestos and Floods
Like earthquakes, floods can cause disruption of fibers in asbestos-containing materials. However, the greater risk of asbestos exposure may be during cleanup following a flood.
Asbestos and Hurricanes
Hurricanes can disrupt large amounts of asbestos in their wake. Hurricane Katrina is a perfect example, where widespread destruction of numerous older buildings exposed untold amounts of asbestos to the air, becoming a significant cleanup issue. Such potential exposure is one of many reasons to heed evacuation warnings as part of hurricane preparedness.
Asbestos and Tornados
After particularly devastating tornadoes, the Environmental Protection Agency will sometimes arrive on the scene to measure asbestos levels. Contact your state health department or environmental agency prior to cleaning up any tornado-damaged materials that may contain asbestos.
Turi McNamee, M.D.
