The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) will be reviewing guidelines to improve the removing of asbestos from its buildings. Before asbestos was banned in 1989, it was commonly used in building construction, and the material is still present in many older buildings.
Dr Lim John Wah, Occupational Health Physician at the National University of Singapore (NUS) Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, co-authored and published a study on rising asbestos exposure.
According to Dr Lim, demolition works, and the wear and tear of asbestos-containing materials can release asbestos and that asbestos-related diseases – in particular, malignant mesothelioma – are on the rise here in Singapore. Co-author Dr Judy Sng, also from the School, added that the tragic thing about mesothelioma is that almost all the time, it was diagnosed too late for anything to be done.
Media Coverage:
- The Straits Times, 23 October 2012, Tuesday