Asbestos News
Rwanda government to remove asbestos from public buildings
Rwanda's Ministry of Infrastructure will reportedly spend a significant amount of money to remove asbestos from the roofs of public buildings throughout the country, the New Times reports.According to the news provider, a number of government buildings, schools and hospitals have asbestos-containing roofs, and the ministry has completed a study on how to properly remove the carcinogenic mineral.
"The study is over, we have now begun an awareness campaign so that people know the dangers of asbestos and how to get rid of it," Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Infrastructure Marie Claire Mukasine told the news source. "We have also conducted training for 25 companies that can be hired to remove the materials without causing damage."
The news source reports that asbestos was banned in Rwanda last year and that it will become the first African country to remove all asbestos from its buildings.
It is important that asbestos is properly handled and removed as exposure to the dangerous material can cause a range of serious illnesses including asbestosis, lung cancer and malignant mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer.
4/18/11
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