It is mandatory to diagnose asbestos in public and private buildings before removal work, but interventions in schools were carried out without any prior inventory and without guaranteeing they were asbestos-free.

To address this gap and comply with the European Commission’s proposals in determining the European Strategy for the Removal of All Asbestos (ESRAA), a Standard is being prepared to regulate how this inventory should be conducted in buildings or infrastructures.

Today, the public inquiry for this normative document is launched, aiming to allow the participation of all interested parties who did not have the opportunity to participate in the drafting of this document, to express any viewpoints different from those considered by the experts and guests involved in the project. This document will be available on the IPQ or SOS Amianto websites.

There are several buildings where this inventory was not conducted, including those under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Education, where only asbestos-cement roofing was identified. This measure was clearly insufficient as asbestos fibers were incorporated into other materials, such as flooring. Managing asbestos from an environmental perspective is increasingly a priority, and the European Green Deal itself points to the new wave of building renovation based on promoting energy efficiency and ensuring that its removal is carried out following an inventory.

Despite the proven risk of asbestos fibers and the relationship between their exposure and the development of cancer (mesothelioma, lung cancer, ovarian cancer, laryngeal cancer, or stomach cancer), leading to it being considered “a priority” by the European Economic and Social Committee, and with occupational cancer being most commonly in the lung (54% and 75%), where asbestos is one of the main causes (45%), this issue continues to be treated with much levity in Portugal.