Asbestos News

A recent report by the news organization Informante revealed that the majority of public water pipes in the capital city of the African country Namibia are made of asbestos.

Fred Brinkmann, with Windhoek’s bulk and waste water department, told the news source that the pipes have been in place for years and plans are in place in case of a rupture.

"All the asbestos water pipes currently in usage in the capital have been there for more than 20 years. In case of a pipe burst we exchange asbestos water pipes with plastic pipes. The process will take a long time to complete and, so far, we are busy rehabilitating most pipes in the suburbs with the exception of Katutura and Khomasdal which have already been rehabilitated," he said.

The use of asbestos was once common in pipes and other items as the the substance is naturally resistant to fire and a good insulator. However, it was proven by the 1960s that exposure to the naturally occurring substance could cause a number of serious diseases such as lung cancer, malignant mesothelioma and asbestosis.

Due to these risks more than 50 countries around the world have banned the use of the substance, including six in Africa, according to the news source. However, Namibia is not one of them.