The asbestos contamination affecting western Hungary appears to be more serious than previously thought, after air samples taken in the town of Kőszeg reportedly showed asbestos fibre concentrations dozens of times above the reference level.
New measurements have raised fresh concerns over the scale of asbestos contamination in western Hungary. According to a report cited by Világgazdaság, air samples collected in Kőszeg showed extremely high concentrations of asbestos fibres at some locations.
A September laboratory report recorded a peak concentration of 76,394 asbestos fibres per cubic metre of air in one street, compared with a reference value of 1,000 fibres per cubic metre, Világgazdaság reported, citing Austrian newspaper Kurier. At another access road, the highest measured concentration reached 2,972 fibres per cubic metre.
Contaminated material found near schools and public facilities
Kőszeg is reportedly affected at around 55 locations. Asbestos-containing crushed stone has been identified in the vicinity of a playground, a kindergarten, a social care institution, a primary school and a secondary school complex.
Local authorities have introduced measures including speed and access restrictions in affected areas. Residents have also been advised to keep contaminated surfaces wet and to avoid them during dry or windy conditions, when fibres may be more likely to become airborne.
The material is believed to have originated from Steinbrücken in Austria’s Burgenland region, according to the reports.
Earlier investigations found asbestos-containing aggregate at more than 300 sites across western Hungary, including roads and public areas in and around Szombathely. Euronews reported in May that some of the Austrian stone had been transported to Hungary for years before the scale of the problem became clear.
The issue has since reached the European Parliament, where Hungarian MEP András Kulja said in September that more than 300 contaminated locations had been identified in western Hungary, including areas regularly used by families and children.
Related: Unprecedented asbestos contamination crisis in Hungary
Government launches HUF 3 billion clean-up fund
The Hungarian government has acknowledged that western parts of the country have been seriously affected by asbestos-containing crushed stone originating from Burgenland.
A HUF 3 billion asbestos-removal fund has been created to support municipalities dealing with the contamination. According to the government, hundreds of official inspections have already been launched.
The money can be used for urgent intervention in areas where asbestos concentrations exceed permitted or reference levels. Possible solutions include completely removing the contaminated aggregate or sealing it beneath concrete or bitumen.
Source: Szombathely.hu
The authorities have also tightened occupational safety requirements for companies carrying out asbestos removal, particularly where contaminated material is excavated and transported away.
The latest results from Kőszeg, however, suggest that the problem is not limited to asbestos being present inside road-building material. The detection of elevated airborne fibre concentrations adds a new dimension to a contamination issue that has been unfolding across western Hungary for months.
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