2000 tonnes of asbestos in Wrocław?

That's what the article seems to say,

I was at a bus stop a few months ago, works were going on above, it was very windy, white dust fell on me and some other people nearby, It seemed to come from a roof above flats over the nearby bank and bakery.

Too late now if it was that.

wroclaw.gazeta.pl/wroclaw/1,35771,12422522,Z_wroclawskich_domow_usuna_260_ton_azbestu_w_trzy.html

Old roofing, balconies, facades, insulation and pipe - in the city is more than two thousand tonnes of hazardous materials. Most in the districts Psie Pol and Fabryczna

To get ill you have to spend a lot of time around it, so you're almost certainly OK. 2000 tonnes is perhaps a conservative estimate - in Warsaw there's probably several times that.

That is kind of scary. They are supposed to seal it off so the dust stays in one area or, at the least, spray everything with water before removal.

Thanks, and obviously, I hope that's the case, but that's not what some of the UK warning literature implies about its hazardous nature. Am just hoping it was not asbestos dust. But, with my luck...


There was a lot of thick polythene covering the building, but the wind was strong and things were falling and coming away, including that powder. There was no one working there when I was under it, so they probably didn't discover the wind damage until the next day.

I could be wrong, but as far as I know any amount of time exposed to asbestos is a risk, just like smoking. These little fibres get into your lungs and could cause cancer later.

If you are really concerned I would suggest asking your doctor about it either now or the next time you have the oppportunity.

The main problem is not knowing how much you are being exposed to. Let's say it's just one place one time. Likely not going to harm most people. But, if it's one place, most likely it's many places and that is harmful.

I used to live very near the infamous Asbestos Triangle in Leeds - the factory is still there, too dangerous to demolish. Those people who died and whose estates are suing the company grew up there and as kids made sandcastles out of the asbestos dust that used to accumulate in piles in the streets. Normal contact (i.e. having an asbestos bit on your ironing board, or a pan stand etc) isn't a problem. Unless you're grinding it up and snorting it of course. There are also different types of asbestos, with varying degrees of risk attached to each. My grandfather died aged around 60 of asbestosis after working for years in an iron foundry where it was heavily used.

The danger is in the removal at this point since no one uses asbestos anymore but if it isn't being removed properly in one location, chances are there are other locations with the same problem and that can mean more risks to the average person. This is why they tape each individual area off even though it's only one place.

You'd be surprised how many people, especially older people have things at home made with asbestos. But yes, the danger is in the removal since the asbestos has usually gone to powder by then.

A London building I had to visit for training was being used while awaiting the asbestos people. It had lots of thick polythene and tape everywhere to keep the asbestos from entering the interior - hopefully. This was a govt building btw.

Asbestos was sold primarily in commercial applications which is why it is removed from buildings so often. Although people could buy asbestos sheets, it was generally too expensive to put in products used by the housing industry. My Aunt works for the state Department of Air Quality and I was worried about asbestos in some old floor tiles in the home so I asked her about it and she in turn asked a coworker and that's what she told me.

Thanks PP and thanks Jon and Cat and all for the comments.