I recently went on a road trip on Great Eastern Highway to the town of Norseman history Western Australia.
Norseman, commonly called "The Gateway to Western Australia," is known for gold, he discovered in the late 1800s several companies mined the precious metal for over a century. Locals have the miners extracted almost six million ounces of gold since the creation of the city.
The difficult economic conditions and the rising cost of the forced extraction of the main operation of gold mines to close in July. Norseman residents rely on tourism to boost their economy.
As a tourist in Norseman, I have done my fair share of visits. I saw a number of municipal buildings built in the 180s that were still standing. Although these historical buildings have been remarkable, are the neighboring houses, I find it almost unbelievable.
Most houses were built entirely of asbestos sheets.
Asbestos in Homes Norseman
According to the official documents of the Dundas County, which is the governing body for the town of Norseman, many houses there are built with asbestos products .
Many of them had extensive damage to exterior walls and roofs. It troubled me to see residents walking in and out of their homes. When products containing asbestos are damaged, they may release particles of the deadly mineral in the air.
Exposure to asbestos is linked to a number of serious diseases, including mesothelioma, lung cancer and pleural plaques. Australia has the second highest rate of mesothelioma deaths in the world, trailing behind the UK
I am happy to see the Dundas County is working on a community strategic plan to remove asbestos these houses.
history of asbestos in Australia
The history of asbestos exposure and its deadly consequences in Australia are well documented.
Textile mills, construction companies and many other production and repair facilities used asbestos between the 1950s and the years 1980. Australia's parties were also operating mining centers, including Wittenoom ?? one of the worst industrial disasters of sites in Australia.
My husband, Brian, spent a few months in Wittenoom as a child. The deadly mineral was everywhere. About 45 years later, doctors diagnosed mesothelioma. His prognosis: three to nine months. He survived two years with the disease and died at the age of 54.
M .. Fluffy, insulating bulk material containing asbestos, was pumped into the roofs of hundreds of homes in Australia in the 1960s has been blamed for many cases of mesothelioma throughout the country.
Reports on the Council's website of Medical Research and National Health shows that they have invested more than $ 14.5 million from 00 to 2010 for research on diseases related to asbestos.
Still Asbestos Found in homes across Australia
nearly a third of the houses built in Australia were almost entirely built of products containing asbestos.
owners in some cities, including Canberra, still. find persistent remains of Mr. Fluffy insulation in their homes
asbestos products commonly used in the building industry included:
- fiber cement exterior coating (AC or fibro) and WeatherBoards
- Artificial coating
- flexible building boards, eave trim, bath liners, underlayment cement tiles
- Corrugated roofing cement
- flue pipes
- architectural columns cement pipes
- textured paint
- floor tiles or vinyl coverings
- Insulation of pipes hot water
- insulation in old domestic heaters
- insulation in stoves
- ceiling insulation products
Many homes built with these products are still standing and can be found scattered in large cities and rural towns throughout the country.
damage to one of these houses, either by natural causes or renovation, asbestos dust released into the atmosphere.
more and more people are becoming aware of the danger of asbestos exposure, the alarm sounded around Australia. There are good reasons for this alarm. Asbestos dust begins to appear in the living areas of the old houses and buildings on a regular basis.
Norseman is just one of many cities across Australia riddled with deadly asbestos. Together they represent an imminent tragedy of immense proportions.
Having lost Brian mesothelioma, my heart aches for those who will walk in my footsteps.
