Asbestos in soil and made ground: a guide to understanding and managing risks

The term 'asbestos' relates to several fibrous minerals regulated under UK law that are known to cause serious health effects (including mesothelioma and lung cancer) when inhaled. Asbestos containing materials (ACMs) were widely used in construction, and this guide identifies several key areas of uncertainty in current understanding, with recommendations future research and policymaking in order to address them. However, due to these uncertainties, the characterisation and assessment of potential risks is not straightforward, and similar difficulties are being encountered in other developed countries. This guide recommends a ´lines of evidence’ approach whereby more than one method is used to estimate the airborne fibre concentrations likely to be generated from soils at the site.