Asbestos fears spread to residential roofing tiles
Published by MAC on 2005-09-05Asbestos fears spread to residential roofing tiles
September 5 2005
South East Asian Occupational Health and Safety News
TOKYO: Health fears over asbestos deepened in Japan last week as a news report revealed that one in five houses uses roofing tiles containing the cancer-causing material.
As many as five million houses in Japan use tiles containing asbestos - a fibrous natural mineral that was commonly used as insulation and in other building materials, posing health risks to residents and neighbours when the tiles are damaged or the houses are demolished. The tiles in question include those made by machinery maker Kubota Corporation and Matsushita Electric Works.
The renewed focus on asbestos began in June when Kubota said 75 of its employees have died and 18 are receiving treatment for asbestos-related illnesses.