Asbestos still plagues communist-era buildings

The discovery of airborne asbestos after renovations in a pair of České Budějovice schools has reopened the debate on how the carcinogen, common in 20th-century buildings, is regulated as many communist-era buildings undergo renovations.

The findings in České Budějovice prompted the closure of the schools Nov. 28 and led to a nationwide investigation by the Education Ministry, with results expected Dec. 7.

Education Minister Josef Dobeš ordered the Czech School Inspectorate (ČŠI) to survey 8,502 schools in search of the concrete panels, which have proved the most common source of asbestos. As of press time, some 5,550 schools had already responded, with 293 confirming such panels are used in their own school buildings.

Asbestos was a common construction material favored during the 1970s and 1980s and noted for its fireproofing capabilities. The Czechoslovak government classified asbestos as a carcinogenic material in 1984, but its use in construction was not banned until 1997.

Deputy Education Minister Ladislav Němec said, "The problem is not caused by a mistake on the part of the school founders or the ministry, but is a consequence of socialist construction and further transfer of the property in 2001 without having systemically resolved further investment into the development of schools."

In particular, the prefabricated-panel buildings often referred to colloquially as paneláky - where nearly one-third of the national population either lives or schools - regularly included asbestos. The material becomes particularly dangerous when its fibers become airborne, which most often occurs as buildings undergo renovation.

In an Education Ministry survey, some 264 schools responded "yes" to a question about having recently undergone renovations that affected the panels, which commonly include asbestos.

"The problem is that usually the aim behind the reconstruction is to create a new facade, and asbestos is considered irrelevant, because nobody really knows how to dispose of it, neither the investor nor the construction company, so money is not being calculated for professional disposal," said Gustav Krch with Ekostar, a firm that disposes of asbestos.

"They often have no clue that professional disposal is much cheaper than the consequences of amateur reconstruction."  

Such problems with asbestos have occurred regularly during renovation of now-private panelák apartment buildings. In 2004, renovations at a Prague apartment block saw 210 apartments contaminated by asbestos. Residents launched a lawsuit against the firm responsible in a case that remains unresolved. During renovations to the Prague Congress Center, asbestos was also detected, prompting the building to require an additional sealing process.

"The situation in České Budějovice is not an exception; it is mostly the rule," Krch said.

While few fault the Education Ministry directly for the České Budějovice incident, critics do point to a general lack of asbestos monitoring by authorities.  

"Current laws say how to proceed during construction and how to protect employees, but nobody really factually probes whether asbestos disposal will be taking place," said Lukáš Matějka, an attorney from Association Arnika, an environmental NGO.

"Awareness is missing among owners, builders and building authorities, and subsequently real efficient control of construction activities carried out in the field. Problems are only solved ex post facto, when a contamination occurs."

Dobeš has pledged funding for cleanup at schools affected by asbestos and said he will go to Parliament to secure additional funding should the Education Ministry budget prove insufficient.

Klára Jiřičná can be reached at
kjiricna@praguepost.com