Asbestos in construction waste – presence and recognition of asbestos containing materials

Construction waste (CW) from demolished buildings delivers a vast amount of resources for recycling material (RCM). RCM can be used as gravel, recycling-concrete or potentially for more precious applications. Hazardous pollutants in CW, like asbestos, threaten this applications, regarding health and environmental risks. Risks for human health induced by asbestos fibres, like asbestosis and mesothelioma are well known. The industrially used mineral asbestos has contaminated many parts within buildings (e.g. floor, ceiling, roof, seals, etc.) and technical constructions and products. Once, the asbestos-containing materials (ACM) reach the construction waste, the recognition of ACM becomes quite difficulty and time consuming. In the first instance we are developing a manual including attributes of different ACM to identify them on site, within the possibly very heterogenic CW. Additionally we are conducting experiments using modelled piles of CW in order to better understand the presence and visibility of ACM in piles. Here the appearance of ACM-substitutes is counted on the surface of modelled piles. The grain size distribution of demolished ACM will be quantified and analysed accordingly, to understand which amounts and distributions of particles of ACM may contaminate the CW. This may potentially be utilised to support the development of methods for the removal of ACM from CW.

The obtained results will lead to a better understanding of ACM in CW, which will increase and ensure the quality of RCM.