The Unseen Danger of Kahramanmaraş Earthquake “Asbestos”

Two major earthquakes with magnitude 7.7 and 7.6; in Kahramanmaraş, Adıyaman, Malatya, Hatay, Osmaniye, Gaziantep, Şanlıurfa, Adana, Kilis, Diyarbakır devastating consequences gave birth.

Unfortunately, this earthquake, which left a lot of debris behind, has another aspect that we should pay attention to. It is also a toxic chemical found especially in construction sites. asbestos. Because this toxic chemical, which emerges in the debris, causes many problems in the long run. your deadly ailment may be the reason.

Do you remember the ship called ‘Nae Sao Paulo’, which sailed for our country months ago and whose arrival was later cancelled?

The return of this ship was the result of studies by both experts and sensitive citizens on how dangerous a chemical asbestos is. At that time, we also discussed what asbestos was and how harmful it was:

Now same danger It is also present in our earthquake zone. At this point, it is useful to recap what asbestos is;

Asbestos is a chemical substance that was called the ‘miracle mineral’ until its danger was noticed, thanks to its heat and electrical insulation properties. Due to these features, it is also highly preferred in construction. It is used in many places such as marley, marley and parquet adhesives, wall coverings, paints and plasters, boiler and heating system gasket insulation, installation pipes, roof coatings known as ‘eternit’ in buildings. For this reason, there is also a serious problem in the earthquake zone in Kahramanmaraş. element of risk emerges as.

Damage to other hazardous materials, especially asbestos, in debris due to earthquakes may cause the release of small asbestos fibers and toxic chemicals that mix into the air and are easily inhaled.

These asbestos fibers, which are started to be inhaled now, can remain in the lungs for a long time and can cause serious problems such as asbestosis, lung cancer, pleural thickening and mesothelioma in the future. to lung diseases may cause. In addition, the dust generated during the demolition contains hazardous waste particles such as asbestos, mercury, lead, Pcb, Pbb, cadmium, Cr6, mold fungus. Since these dusts can be carried to distant places due to the wind, they pose a risk not only for the earthquake zone, but also for different regions.

So what are the precautions to be taken to protect from asbestos in the earthquake zone?

President of the Association of Asbestos Dismantling Experts (ASUD) and the Occupational Health and Safety Federation (İSAF), whose opinions we received on the subject Mehmet Seyhmus EnsariNoting that people in the earthquake zone should use masks, ”The earthquake is a disaster that develops suddenly and we race against time, but the building dust that spreads around contains asbestos and other dangerous substances. Everyone in the area should use an FFP3 dust mask to protect themselves from the resulting dust. If dust suppression machines cannot be used in demolition, the rubble must be wetted. As an association, we call out to the officials in that region, saving lives is sacred, but don’t be out of your life in the meantime” says.

Ensari also draws attention to the fact that demolitions should not be carried out without taking necessary safety precautions: “We do not want other disasters after the earthquake.”

‘Of course, such buildings, which have been severely damaged and even partially collapsed due to the earthquake, must be demolished immediately in terms of public safety, but this does not mean that the demolition is carried out uncontrolled and without adequate security measures, especially in dust formation. For this reason, it is necessary to prepare and use dust suppression equipment and mobile or fixed irrigation systems in accordance with the TS13883 standard at the demolition site in order to prevent dust formation both during demolition and during the loading and transportation of demolition wastes (rubbles). After the earthquake disaster We don’t want any more disasters.”

Equipment that field workers and earthquake victims should use to protect themselves from asbestos:

• FFP3 type dust mask
• Tyvek overalls
• Work gloves
• Glasses

Let us remind you again, among these, the FFP3 type dust mask is of vital importance, especially in order not to breathe toxic chemicals.

If you want to learn more about asbestos, you can also watch our video below:

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