A UN official announced the presence of a hazardous material that may complicate the debris removal process in Gaza following the end of the war between Israel and Hamas. Charles Birch, an explosive removal expert from the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS), stated that "Gaza has more rubble than Ukraine," highlighting that the length of the Ukrainian frontline is 600 miles (965 kilometers) compared to Gaza's 25 miles (40 kilometers). He added that "there are over 37 million tons of debris that need to be removed in Gaza once the Israeli war on the sector concludes." Birch noted the presence of unexploded munitions and bombs among the rubble, in addition to the dangerous material asbestos, which could hinder debris removal operations.
Following these significant remarks from the UN official, questions arise regarding the nature of asbestos, its health risks, and how to avoid it. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 125 million people worldwide are currently exposed to asbestos in their workplaces. The organization estimates that over 107,000 people die each year from lung cancer, mesothelioma, and asbestos-related diseases due to exposure to this material in their workplaces.
**What is Asbestos?**
The term "asbestos" refers to a group of naturally occurring fibrous minerals that have commercial value due to their extraordinary resistance to tensile strength, poor heat conductivity, and relative resistance to chemical attacks. Asbestos is used for insulation within buildings and as components in a range of products, including roofing sheets, water supply pipes, fire blankets, plastic fillers, medical containers, as well as in car clutches, brake linings, and gaskets, according to the organization.
The Israeli Ministry of Environmental Protection states that asbestos is used in construction, home roofing, internal and external insulation, water drainage pipes, chimneys, and ventilation. Asbestos fibers are utilized in the manufacturing of fire-resistant door covers, steel cabinets, protective clothing against fire, car brakes, and certain car parts, as well as for insulating cables, wires, and electrical panels. The two primary forms of asbestos are chrysotile (white asbestos) and crocidolite (blue asbestos), while other forms include amosite, anthophyllite, tremolite, and actinolite.
**Health Risks**
All forms of asbestos are considered carcinogenic to humans and can lead to mesothelioma, lung cancer, and cancers of the larynx and ovaries. Exposure to this material can also cause other diseases, such as asbestosis (pulmonary fibrosis), pleural plaques, thickening, and effusions. The organization estimates that asbestos is responsible for one-third of deaths due to cancer types arising from exposure to carcinogenic factors in the workplace, and it attributes several thousand deaths annually to cases of asbestos exposure at home.
The Israeli Ministry mentions that one of the diseases related to asbestos is asbestosis, a chronic fibrotic lung disease that affects the lung parenchyma due to inhalation and accumulation of asbestos at high density or over extended periods. Exposure to asbestos often occurs occupationally, either among workers involved in its production or in the use of the final product. Additionally, it states that asbestos exposure is a cause of lung cancer, with smoking increasing the risk of lung cancer for asbestos workers, alongside "mesothelioma," a rare form of lung cancer that affects the lining of the lungs and abdomen.
**Disposing of Asbestos-Related Diseases**
World Health Assembly resolution 58-22 concerning cancer prevention urges member states to pay special attention to cancer types where avoidable exposure is a risk factor, including exposure to chemicals in workplaces. The World Health Assembly, in its resolution 60-26, requested the WHO to undertake a global campaign to eliminate asbestos-related diseases, while also not overlooking different approaches to regulating its various forms in accordance with relevant international legal instruments and recent data on the subject.
There must be a special effort to eliminate asbestos-related diseases in countries still using chrysotile, as well as providing necessary assistance regarding exposure forms arising from past uses of all forms of asbestos. The WHO cooperates with the International Labour Organization and other international governmental organizations and civil society organizations to eliminate asbestos-related diseases according to specific guidelines.
According to the organization's strategy, it must be acknowledged that the most effective way to eliminate asbestos-related diseases is to cease the use of this material in all its forms, while also providing information on alternatives that are safer, establishing economic and technological mechanisms that promote substitution, and taking measures to prevent asbestos exposure on-site and during removal (reducing pollution). The organization also advocates for improved early diagnosis and treatment of asbestos-related diseases, social and medical rehabilitation for affected individuals, and the establishment of records for individuals who have been exposed to asbestos in the past and/or who are currently exposed.
