The Asbestos Remediation: The Experience of the Lazio Region

Abstract

With the enactment of Law 257/92, ‘Regulations on the cessation of the use of asbestos’, Italy established the goal of phasing out asbestos use and preventing occupational and environmental exposures. Article 9 of the aforementioned law mandates that companies using asbestos, directly or indirectly in production processes, or those involved in the remediation, transport, storage, and/or disposal of asbestos-containing materials (ACMs), submit an annual detailed report to the Regional Authorities and the Occupational Health and Safety Services of the relevant local health units (ASL). This report must include, in addition to the types and quantities of asbestos remediated, the type of waste subject to disposal and/or remediation, the activities and procedures applied, as well as data on the workers involved, specifying the nature and duration of their activities, the type of exposure they face, and the measures taken to protect their health and the environment. This study compares the annual data on asbestos operations within the Lazio Region to identify potential improvements in asbestos remediation processes. The study also assesses the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the activities of companies dealing with asbestos in the Lazio Region. The data, collected and processed by the U.O.C. Regional Asbestos Reference Center (CRRA) and published as annual reports pursuant to Article 9 of Law 257/92 on the website www.prevenzioneonline.net, cover the period from 2012 to 2022. The analysis of the collected data highlights the usefulness of the digital tools developed by the CRRA and made available to companies. It is hoped that the online data submission system for asbestos operations will be extended nationwide to achieve a standardized representation of the issue. The annual data on asbestos operations in the Lazio Region show a significant number of interventions, which has remained relatively stable over time. Given the large quantities of ACMs still present in the area, the CRRA, drawing on experiences already gained in some Italian regions, is considering experimenting with the remediation technique through autonomous micro-collections. Regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the activities of asbestos-related companies in the Lazio Region, the data analysis for the years 2020-2022 shows that the remediation sector did not suffer significant negative effects due to the pandemic or the resulting state of emergency.