Asbestos is the name given to a group of strong fibres which are resistant to heat and chemicals. The marketing and use of asbestos has been banned in the EU because of its links with lung and chest cancers and other illnesses.
The risk is low until the material is disturbed, but there are no known safe levels of exposure, according to the Health and Safety Authority.
Asbestos was used in large quantities in the past, mainly because of its insulation properties. It was also used as a spray coating on steelwork and in concrete and cement products such as wall and roof sheeting and water tanks. In Leinster House, asbestos was used to lag pipes in the basement.
Exposure levels peaked in the 1970s, but it can take years for asbestos-related cancers to emerge.
Medical experts have predicted a steady rise in the frequency of asbestos-linked cancers until at least 2010 and possibly 2020.
There are three main types of asbestos. These are colour-coded as blue, brown and white. Blue and brown asbestos were mainly used for lagging and therefore are now more likely to be disturbed, while white asbestos was more commonly used in cement products.
A new EU directive which would give more protection to workers who may be exposed to asbestos is likely to pass into Irish law in late 2004.
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