Cabinet approves asbestos roof phase out

Workers change asbestos roofing materials in a project sponsored by Nakuru County government at a cost of Sh10 million. [File, Standard] Developers whose properties have asbestos roofs will have to shoulder the cost of replacing them following a directive from State House on Wednesday, which has approved nationwide removal of this roofing material. Additionally, county governments which inherited offices and houses from defunct municipal and county councils will foot their bills. A dispatch from State House stated that in bid to enhance public health and safety, the Cabinet had approved a nationwide asbestos removal initiative from all public and private facilities to mitigate health risks associated with asbestos exposure. "Asbestos, extensively used in Kenya's construction industry in the 1960s and 1970s, remains in government buildings, hospitals, schools, and even water supply systems," the dispatch read. The dispatch said the material is classified as a human carcinogen, and its exposure is linked to severe health conditions, including lung cancer and mesothelioma (a cancer that develops in the tissue lining of the lungs, abdomen and heart). The National Environment Management Authority (Nema) has been directed to oversee the safe removal, disposal, and handling of the materials. County governments are expected to establish designated disposal sites. "Under the 'Polluter Pays' principle, property owners will bear the cost of removal," the dispatch reads. "The government anticipates that this initiative will reduce future disease burden, cut healthcare costs, and enhance environmental safety." Nema describes asbestos as hazardous material with fine fibres that can remain suspended in the atmosphere for hours. Exposure to air containing these fibres increases the risk of inhaling them which leads to serious chronic problems such as asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma. "These diseases are incurable and fatal," said Nema. Hazardous waste Asbestos is categorised as hazardous waste as per Legal Notice No.121 of the Environmental Management and Coordination (Waste Management) Regulations 2006. According to the 2023/24 Kenya Housing Survey Basic Report by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), at least 0.2 per cent of houses in the country have asbestos roofing. Bomet County leads with 2.9 per cent followed by Migori 1.4 per cent, Turkana 1.4 per cent, and Machakos 1.1 per cent. Nairobi City County stands at 0.1 per cent according to the report. However, a few years ago in 2019, as detailed in the Kenya Population and Housing Census, Nairobi City County had the most housing units roofed with asbestos at 2.5 per cent. Makadara sub-county had the most units at eight per cent. Nairobi County has been actively replacing these roofing materials through its development plans. "During the plan period, the library services section increased access to information through rehabilitation, equipping them and automating existing libraries. Towards this end, the section rehabilitated three libraries where the asbestos roof was replaced, painted the walls did tiling works," reads the Nairobi City County Integrated Development Plan 2023-2027. Environment Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale had in August 2024 issued a three-month ultimatum to have asbestos removed from all roofs of government institutions. "Many Kenyans drink water contaminated with asbestos roofs, and the piping in their homes is made of asbestos. While I am not a medical expert, I can correlate the high cancer rates in our country to the use of asbestos roofing," he said.

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