Reno Addict resident expertย Barry Du Bois and TV personality Don Burke OAM and have joined forces to remind homeowners, renovators, handymen and tradespeople about the dangers of asbestos and how to manage it safely in the prevention of deadly asbestos-related diseases for National Asbestos Awareness Month.
Barry, Asbestos Awareness Ambassador said, โCancers caused by inhaling asbestos are preventable simply by knowing what NOT to do with asbestos-containing materials that everyday Australianโs could find in their homes.
โAsbestos is not only found in fibro homes. Australia was among the largest consumersโ of asbestos-containing materials in the world with many products remaining in any brick, weatherboard, fibro or clad homes built or renovated before 1987.
โTo help save lives itโs absolutely critical that our message reaches all states and territories so every Australian can โGet to kNOw Asbestos this NOvemberโ.
โAsbestos was used in the manufacture of a broad range of products. It can be anywhere in the home!โ said Barry Du Bois.
โUnder floor coverings including carpets, linoleum and vinyl tiles, behind wall and floor tiles, in cement floors, internal and external walls, ceilings and ceiling space (insulation), eaves, garages, roofs, around hot water pipes, fences, extensions to homes, garages, outdoor toilets, backyard and farm structures, chook sheds and even dog kennels so itโs vital we know where it is and the steps we need to take to manage it safely,โ he said.
Ambassador, Don Burke said, โWhen I was a kid, asbestos was everywhere; in our homes, in our gardens – even in our toys. I have had the honour of meeting heroic people who were victims of diseases caused from inhaling asbestos dust from around their homes. Tragically, these people are no longer with us.
โWith 1 in 3 Australian homes known to contain asbestos, their heroic fight against asbestosis and *mesothelioma compels me to continue their life-saving work in preventing more people from succumbing to these awful and avoidable diseases,โ Don Burke said.
โWithout knowing where these types of asbestos-containing products might be located or how to manage and dispose of asbestos safely, Australianโs play a risky game of โRenovation Rouletteโ if they disturb asbestos-containing materials and release fibres that can be inhaled which may cause asbestos-related diseases including mesothelioma,โ he said.
The two dedicated advocates for Asbestos Awareness launched the campaign at a special event during the 2016 โBetty โ The ADRI Houseโ Donโt Play Renovation Roulette Tour.
โBetty โ the ADRI Houseโ, a purpose built mobile model home designed to demonstrate where asbestos might be located in and around homes, is touring South Australia for the first time.
Having already covered more than 36,000 kilometres throughout NSW, VIC and QLD, in 2016 โBettyโ and her dedicated crew will travel more than 6,000 kilometres and visit 36 communities over 46 consecutive days to deliver Bettyโs potentially life-saving Asbestos Awareness message.
Senator Nick Xenophon welcomed Betty saying, โEvery Australian needs to know about this campaign. Every Australian can potentially be exposed to deadly asbestos fibres. It is impossible to remove all asbestos that has been used in Australia to date and to do so would mean bulldozing one in three homes.โ
โBetty and this campaign is literally about saving the lives of many thousands of Australians from a horrible substance. The fact that this deadly material is seemingly everywhere means knowing the risks and how to manage it safely can save livesโ Senator Xenophon said.
Peter Dunphy, Founding Chair of the Asbestos Education Committee who initiated the national campaign and Bettyโs Tours said, โItโs vital that all Australianโs learn to identify and manage asbestos safely because itโs not worth the risk!
โIn launching the national campaign in South Australia with Ambassadors, Don Burke, Barry Du Bois and Betty, a proven, invaluable community education resource, weโll reach more Australians than ever before with this potentially life-saving message,โ Mr Dunphy said.
Professor Nico van Zandwijk, Director Asbestos Diseases Research Institute (ADRI) said, โThere is no cure for malignant mesothelioma. Asbestos cancers usually occur many years after the first inhalation of asbestos and we want Australians to stop underestimating this ticking time bomb that has a very long fuseโ.
โTo assist in ameliorating the Australian asbestos legacy it is vital that we learn to adequately deal with the large amounts of asbestos still present in our environmentโ.
โPrevention is the best solution and the National Asbestos Awareness campaign along with Betty are critical preventative measures that continue to play a vital role in educating Australians about the dangers of asbestos.โ he said.
If homeowners and renovators canโt see Betty in person, they can visit asbestosawareness.com.au for a โVirtual Betty Tourโ, โAsbestos In Your Home โ The Ultimate Renovators Guide and search the Asbestos Products Database to identify various asbestos-containing products to ensure they manage them safely.
Asbestos Awareness Month is the initiative of the Asbestos Education Committee in partnership with the Asbestos Diseases Research Institute and supported by the Heads of Asbestos Coordination Authorities to provide local, state and federal governments with practical awareness resources including Betty.
For information on asbestos, click here.
