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© Thomson Reuters 2019.Asbestos found at Tokyo Olympic water polo venue
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© Thomson Reuters 2019.
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Patricia Yarrow
Statistics? Percentage? Facts instead of scaremongering headlines?
RealCDN
If it is stable, there is nothing to fear.
Yubaru
Yeah well, looks like they got caught, not a great "cover-up" and thankfully so!
This is getting criminally negligent in my opinion!
Ex_Res
Are dangerous materials not tested or analysed in major construction programs in Japan these days.
hooktrunk2
Which leaves me to wonder if it is because they are worried the IOC might move this event just like they moved the Maraton, albeit for a completely different reason. Just speculation on my part of course.
utorsa
The Canadian government and Canadian companies pushed asbestos in Asia. They have blood on their hands. Despite being aware of the health dangers and banning asbestos use in Canada they aggressively exported and promoted the product overseas for decades.
Greed and evil on an epic scale by Canadian corporations and the Canadian government.
http://www.canadianasbestosexports.ca/
utorsa
Another article about Canada promoting asbestos in developing countries.
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health-and-fitness/government-investment-in-asbestos-is-morally-bankrupt/article624674/
rgcivilian1
re article: Tokyo 2020 organizers will take "emergency countermeasures" after asbestos was found at the water polo venue for next year's Games after initially opting against treating it when it was discovered two years ago,
2 yrs ago and now the public is being informed? Emergency countermeasures" please, there are no such countermeasures aside abatement. They had 2 yrs someone dropped the ball bigtime. Asbestos exposure is no laughing matter.
Ascissor
For how many other facilities has the Tokyo govt. made such a decision?
Laguna
Agree with Zichi: measure particle levels in ambient air.
Alex Einz
i am more concerned about that creepy looking red thingie hanging on the wall there ... and who designed this monstrosity.. look like one of em post brutalist , bland thingies in europe
JapanJim
Can't the asbestos be released into the ocean?
kohakuebisu
Japan was very slow in phasing out asbestos. I wasn't listening intently, but I think the news said this building is from Heisei 5, which is 1993. For Europe it would be unthinkable for asbestos to still be in use in the 1990s. It was already a notorious problem back then.
The father of one of my best friends died young due to asbestosis. It is an extremely nasty condition.
browny1
As I understand the asbestos on the 2 pillars is away from public access and has been spray sealed and covered in stainless steel - according to last nights news. It poses no direct threat.
I think the fact that all Olympic facilities must be asbestos free is at the heart of the matter - sealed or not.
I can only assume the relevant authorities knew about it, but because of the enormous disruption and cost let the matter lie so as to speak. Time and money constraints have been well and truly been applied by the Powers, so a "no tell, no problem" situation arose.
daninja
I'm guessing that the risk would increase in a country prone to earthquakes and in a facility built before the 1995 earthquake saw building restrictions tighten. The decision to take "emergency countermeasures" sounds like they've already done their "air particle" testing and can't just leave it as it is.
kurisupisu
Not really a big deal for visitors to the venue.
Wallace Fred
Ok..isn't .1% detrimental enough in the long run? I mean, this is pretty much indefensible and down right criminal. Where's the common sense?
Derek Grebe
OK, now what's the betting these "emergency" measures (not an emergency if you knew about it 2 years ago and decided to hope nobody noticed) get carried out by the friend of a cabinet member in a no-bid contract, at a price several zeroes North of market rate, and it still gets done shoddily by minimum-wage, untrained day labour?
gogogo
Seems like someone hit the panic button without talking to others before doing so.
runner3
No asbestos should be used in construction in this day and age. Especially in a country where there are so many earthquakes.
smithinjapan
"Tokyo 2020 organizers will take "emergency countermeasures" after asbestos was found at the water polo venue for next year's Games after initially opting against treating it when it was discovered two years ago, Asahi newspaper reported on Monday."
Hahaha! Love it! Caught red-handed and it's made public that they ignored it and did not report it, and they panic and say they will take "Immediate countermeasures against the things we... ummm... deemed it unnecessary before to do so... but it's... ummm... necessary now."
mikeylikesit
Stupid overreaction.
Asbestos is only dangerous when it is disturbed...such as when construction workers try to remove it. Asbestos in a building is not normally going to cause mesothelioma if it is not exposed. Asbestos enters the lungs because it is churned up into the air. Yes, it's dangerous for construction and demolition workers. It's extremely rare that anyone is exposed to asbestos in the normal use of a building. No fans or athletes would even be in the venue long enough to face serious exposure. The only people who could potentially be at risk are long-term workers in the venue, but they are fine so long as the asbestos is stable.
Construction workers pulling out otherwise stable asbestos, on the other hand? They're creating a health hazard where none existed.
But, hey, there's a lot of money in asbestos removal.
runner3
mikeylikesit
So you think it's a stupid over reaction. Your right asbestos isn't dangerous if it's not disturbed, but in a country that has so many earthquakes it should be banned. And they should start to remove it from all buildings. So in the next earthquake there won't be cloud's of asbestos everywhere.
mike1492
Was raised in town that had major employer who produced Asbestos products for close to 80 years. Early 1980's they closed and former employees sued and got paid. Funny part was nobody who worked or lived there had any cancers from asbestos.
RareReason
One day we will come across an article about a field you haven't worked in and know everything about.
There's an expression you may be familiar with... Jack of all trades...