Asbestos in the Howqua Hills (Vic) - safety issue?

Submitted: Monday, Jul 17, 2006 at 08:56

ThreadID: 35890 Views:3345 Replies:7 FollowUps:16

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Mike Harding

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Reply By: Truckster (Vic) - Monday, Jul 17, 2006 at 10:51

Monday, Jul 17, 2006 at 10:51

if its that small he needs a magnifer, dont soil your y fronts. ;)

AnswerID: 183876

Follow Up By: Mike Harding - Monday, Jul 17, 2006 at 11:32

Monday, Jul 17, 2006 at 11:32

Unfortunately, with asbestos, it's the microscopic fibres which get into the lungs and cause damage.

I wouldn't go into a panic about it but if I had young children and took them into that area, particularly in the dry weather, I would be doing more research to find out how real the issue is. I would probably also not allow them to dig in the soil.

Mike Harding

FollowupID: 440512

Follow Up By: Truckster (Vic) - Monday, Jul 17, 2006 at 11:54

Monday, Jul 17, 2006 at 11:54

but then again, you wouldnt see them in water, or if they were wet either..

probably a back door beat up to stop 4wds going bush.. Hang on, thats one more they can hang on 4wds - THEY IMPORT DEADLY ASBESTOS INTO OUR LOVELY WILDERNESS

FollowupID: 440514

Reply By: hoyks - Monday, Jul 17, 2006 at 12:01

Monday, Jul 17, 2006 at 12:01

You have more chance of lung damage from asbestos sheeting that has been illegally dumped in the bush on the edge of just about every suburb in Australia. Many of those suburb edges are now backyards too.

AnswerID: 183887

Reply By: Member - Rotord - Monday, Jul 17, 2006 at 13:56

Monday, Jul 17, 2006 at 13:56

Lot of people living in asbestos houses without any problems , and a lot of builders who worked on asbestos houses over the years have no problems .

Those affected by mesothelioma understandably have a horror of asbestos . This leads in some cases to exaggeration of the ease with which mesothelioma can be inflicted . The extreme exaggeration is that one fibre in the lungs is sufficient to cause the disease !

Given the numbers of all those in the building industry who had considerable exposure over a many years , and after 30 years have no symptoms , there is some case to be made that minor exposure is not significant .

The WA government scientific advisor who looked at the Wittenoom situation found that no hazard existed to those who were living in the town .

The WA government promotes tourism in Karajini gorges that have exposed veins of asbestos in the rocks . This is the same govenment that removed all the asbestos roofs on Rottnest Island .

Makes sense not to disturb asbestos , but I don't think its in the same hazard bracket as driving without a seat belt .

AnswerID: 183908

Follow Up By: Member - Jeff M (WA) - Monday, Jul 17, 2006 at 22:01

Monday, Jul 17, 2006 at 22:01

Is that why they moved the entire town site from one location to another, and then still cut the mains power off to it to try and get the locals to leave?

FollowupID: 440643

Reply By: Trevor R (QLD) - Monday, Jul 17, 2006 at 14:01

Monday, Jul 17, 2006 at 14:01

Is a subject too close to home unfortunately. Is one of the most gruesome ways one can die, I would think.

Someone mentioned it above, that there is more risks in suburban back yards and I would agree with that. Don't stop enjoying your backyard but you still need to be aware and safety concious around it.

Thanks for the link.
Trevor.

AnswerID: 183910

Follow Up By: Member - Jeff M (WA) - Monday, Jul 17, 2006 at 22:05

Monday, Jul 17, 2006 at 22:05

Absolutally, my house is surrounded by asbestos fences (built in 1977), they are painted on our side, but not the neighbours. My neighbour on one side and over the back both have asbestos sheds with asbestos roofs and walls, they are disgusting and I have complained to the EPA regarding the one right next door and they inspected it and made them chop the tree back that was rubbing on the roof that almost overhangs our fence and paint it. I have two young children, I was exposed to MUCH asbestos when I was younger, traveling to Wittnoom, walking around the mine and growing up in fibro houses in the pilbra, I do not want the same risks for my children thank you very much.

It is amazing how much of this dirty crap is laying around our suburbs with people cutting it, breaking it, leaning on it and not thinking twice about it...

FollowupID: 440644

Reply By: S&N - Monday, Jul 17, 2006 at 16:35

Monday, Jul 17, 2006 at 16:35

asbestos is ok, as long as you dont break it. i cut through asbestos pipe everyday for one of the water boards. if you want to cut asbestos sheet, you wet it first so the fibres dont fly off. so its actually better to be around it in the wet season!

AnswerID: 183939

Follow Up By: Member - Jeff M (WA) - Monday, Jul 17, 2006 at 22:10

Monday, Jul 17, 2006 at 22:10

If you are cutting asbestos everyday for work without a resperator I would not be informing any Worksafe people!!

Bugger that for a joke, what you wet the outside and expect it to be wet in the middle too? What about all the wet crap that flies off when your cutting it? What happens when it dries out?

The only way Asbestos is safe is when it's completly coated in good quality paint and not disturbed.

FollowupID: 440647

Follow Up By: S&N - Monday, Jul 17, 2006 at 23:38

Monday, Jul 17, 2006 at 23:38

maby i should be more specific, drilling it with a mains tapping drill!
sorry for not being clear!!! but if you have constant water running over it, like in the pic......it will be file, no particles to fly up. asbestos particles + water = paste, which is ok untill it dries out and becomes particles again

FollowupID: 440659

Reply By: disco driver - Monday, Jul 17, 2006 at 17:33

Monday, Jul 17, 2006 at 17:33

Hi Mike and all,
Everything one does has a risk factor attached to it.
It's up to the individual to weigh up that risk and then take whatever action he sees as suitable for himself and/or his family.
If one considers the risk too great, he does not do it, whatever it may be--- Going to Howqua, riding motorbikes or whatever.

Just because it's in the paper or on the net definitely does not make it fact.

Thanks for initiating the thread just the same.

Cheers

Disco.

AnswerID: 183946

Follow Up By: Mike Harding - Monday, Jul 17, 2006 at 18:29

Monday, Jul 17, 2006 at 18:29

>Just because it's in the paper or on the net definitely
>does not make it fact.

If we are talking about aliens landing or what was really said between John Howard and Peter Costello then I agree.

However, publishing a report that asbestos has been discovered in rocks in an area where commercial asbestos mining previously occurred is hardly stretching the bounds of credulity.

Risk assessment? Absolutely. However one first needs information in order to be able to accurately assess risk.

Mike Harding

FollowupID: 440579

Follow Up By: Gramps (NSW) - Monday, Jul 17, 2006 at 18:39

Monday, Jul 17, 2006 at 18:39

"publishing a report that asbestos has been discovered in rocks in an area where commercial asbestos mining previously occurred"

Er ..... am I missing something here or is the report stating the bleeding obvious. Of course there's going to be asbestos in any area surrounding an asbestos mine. I don't think you'd have to do much research or investigation to come up with a report stating that.

Pretty simple really. If you're not willing to take the risk, don't go there.

FollowupID: 440583

Follow Up By: Mike Harding - Monday, Jul 17, 2006 at 18:48

Monday, Jul 17, 2006 at 18:48

Al:

I think the concern is that next to nobody would know of the asbestos mine (worked for 5 years in 1895) and that the area has been opened up to the public by logging roads and the availability of 4WDs in recent years whereas it used to be pretty inaccessible.

My understanding is that the current publicity is an attempt to instigate a study to determine how widespread the asbestos is and if it poses any real danger.

Mike Harding

FollowupID: 440588

Follow Up By: Gramps (NSW) - Monday, Jul 17, 2006 at 18:52

Monday, Jul 17, 2006 at 18:52

Aaaahhh thanks Mike. Once I saw the pic of the old dodderer doing a passable Sherlock Holmes impression I lost all objectivity LOLOL

FollowupID: 440592

Follow Up By: Ken - Monday, Jul 17, 2006 at 21:10

Monday, Jul 17, 2006 at 21:10

Aaaahhh indeed Gramps, I share yor scepticism ! How quick was he to leap from highlighting the asbestos danger [could be real it, under some circumstances it can be very dangerous] to bagging tral bikes & 4WD's. No mention of the greatest spreader of weeds in the area- the hundreds of horses that are taken there !
The friends group did it for me, OK for me to have a house there but not OK for all you smelly others !
If it is in the rocks in the Howqua, as the ridiculous photo suggests, I think we are all in a lot of trouble. The Howqua has been running into Eildon since 1956, people and animals from Eildon to Shepparton to the Wimmera have been drinking and swimming in it for the last 40 years.

Ken

FollowupID: 440623

Follow Up By: Mike Harding - Monday, Jul 17, 2006 at 21:43

Monday, Jul 17, 2006 at 21:43

So, Ken, you're saying it’s a load of rubbish and just a scare tactic by the Greenies and the asbestos issue in this area is something we don't need to pay any heed to at all?

Is that correct? And can I quote you on that in the future?

Mike Harding

PS. I have no idea one way or the other but I am amazed at the number of people who have popped up on this thread to state their unsubstantiated opinions on a complex health subject which, I suspect (like me), they know nothing about.

FollowupID: 440635

Follow Up By: Gramps (NSW) - Monday, Jul 17, 2006 at 21:48

Monday, Jul 17, 2006 at 21:48

Now Mike, we are all entitled to our opinion whether we are well versed in a subject or not. Because some of us tend to be more than a little sceptical does'nt mean we are wrong.

If we were to use this as an example of why areas should be tested then every post-WW2 Housing Commission suburb in the country would have to be quarantined and checked.

FollowupID: 440637

Follow Up By: Ken - Monday, Jul 17, 2006 at 22:46

Monday, Jul 17, 2006 at 22:46

Ahh Mike the forum oracle eh ? Where did I say anything about Greenies then ? Where did I say it is rubbish ? Any quote you might make from my post would be as made up as your response. Don't be so ready to jump one people and you will get a lot more respect.
If you have ever done any training on asbestos management you would know it is a) dangerous and, b) manageable. On that you can quote me.
I said if there was a risk then it is a lot more widespead than just Sheepyard Flat.
Take whatever precautions you feel you need to when you go there by all means but allow those of us not afflicted with the Chicken Little [you know the one who thought the sky was falling in] virus to exercise our judgement and possibly well placed scepticism on this one !

Ken

FollowupID: 440656

Follow Up By: Mike Harding - Tuesday, Jul 18, 2006 at 09:17

Tuesday, Jul 18, 2006 at 09:17

>Where did I say it is rubbish ?
Like your pervasive sarcasm above it’s implicit in your post – a kind of superior wisdom.

>Don't be so ready to jump one people and you will get a lot more respect.
Thanks for the advice on how to interact with other people Ken, but I don’t seek respect from you and you’re not in a position to speak for those from whom I do.

>I said if there was a risk then it is a lot more widespead than just Sheepyard Flat.
How do you know? Substantiated evidence please – not just Ken’s opinion.

The reality is Ken, no one has any idea what the danger level is: it may be nothing or it may be a lot, none of us know at this point – not even you.

Mike Harding

FollowupID: 440684