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Reclamation of the Fibronit plant in Bari.

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Reclamation of the Fibronit plant in Bari.

- the Asbestos risk;

- the risk assessment of the ex-Fibronit plant and its reclamation;

- the outdoor monitoring of the ex-Fibronit area.

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Asbestos riskAsbestos:

a calcium-magnesium silicate mineral of flexible or elastic fibers.

Chrysotile Asbestos fibers.

Mineral type Asbestos type Chemical formulae

Serpentine

(flexible fibers - smaller than amphibole asbestos) Chrysotile or white asbestos Mg3[Si2O5](OH)4

Actinolite Ca2(MgFe)5Si8O22(OH)2

Amosite or brown asbestos (MgFe)7Si8O22(OH)2

Anthophyllite Mg7Si8O22(OH)2

Crocidolite or blue asbestos Na2Fe2(FeMg)3Si8O22(OH)2

Amphibole

(elastic fibers)

Tremolite Ca2Mg5Si8O22(OH)2

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Asbestos risk

Features:

high resistance to chemical and physical agents.

Use:

mixed with other elements.

The Asbestos was widely used in the construction industry like asbestos-cement.

Banned in Italy (Law 257/1992)

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Asbestos risk

Weathering of fibrous asbestos sheeting showing loose fibers

Asbestos poses risk if the fibers become dislodged and thus they can be inhaled.

The inhalation of asbestos fibers can cause: Asbestosis; Malignant Lung Cancer; Peritoneal and Pleural Mesothelioma.

Other asbestos-related diseases are: Asbestos warts; Diffuse pleural thickening; Pleural plaques.

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The Fibronit risk assessment and its reclamation

The Fibronit, active for 50 years (1935 - 1985), was one of the biggest Italian makers of asbestos-cement manufactures;

they mainly produced pipes, plates and other special parts in cement with a percentage of asbestos ranging from 15 to 20%.

Moreover, the plant itself consisted of several buildings with roofs completely made up of “onduline” in asbestos-cement.

Nowadays this plant spreads on an area of about 9 hectares and is surrounded by urban agglomeration.

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The Fibronit risk assessment and its reclamation

The matrixes of asbestos founded in the ex-Fibronit site were:– compact matrix asbestos;– friable matrix asbestos;– loose fibers asbestos.

All materials containing asbestos were removed from the ex-Fibronit plant.

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The Fibronit risk assessment and its reclamation

Before the removal the products containing asbestos were encapsulated with a special varnish in order to limit the release of fibers.

The waste generated within the yard was placed in thick bags, identified with a waste identification code and sent for the disposal to special waste dumps.

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The outdoor monitoring of ex Fibronit area.A monitoring network was installed, outside the ex-Fibronit, by the ARPA Puglia Provincial Department of Bari.

It consisted of 4 control units taking air samples by aspiration at constant flow, of fixed volumes of air through membrane filters made up of mixed cellulose esters and having pores with a diameter of 0.8 micrometers.

These units were planned according to asbestos legislation including also the Ministerial Decree 06/09/1994.

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The outdoor monitoring of ex Fibronit area.

The concentration of the “natural environment fund” of asbestos loose fibers resulted to be 0.33 f/l.

Chrysotile Asbestos fibers (SEM micrograph)

Never detected limits exceeding twice the “ natural environment fund“, that is 0.66 f/l, which represents the danger level.

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ConclusionAt present, in the ex Fibronit plant, the perimeter walls of each building are still standing; they will be

involved in a specific plan of complete demolition.

While waiting for this demolition, the Arpa Puglia is still monitoring the area outside the plant with 4 sequential units, in order to define the concentration of airborne fibers.

A natural park will be built in the ex-Fibronit area as soon as it is completely reclaimed.

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