Although it may be time to clean up fire damaged Coonabarbran in New South Wales, there still remains a major health concern for the area. There are fears that the buildings which were damaged by bushfires could have contained toxic asbestos which may now pose a health risk to those involved in the clean up process.
The fire which started in Warrumbungle National Park a week ago was responsible for the destruction of fifty-three homes. Everyone in the area needs to be well aware of the risk because many rural properties and even some urban properties are believed to contain asbestos. When these properties are destroyed by fire, they become a danger because exposure to asbestos can result in people contracting asbestos diseases such as mesothelioma and asbestosis. This asbestos risk needs to be dealt with properly and all those involved with the clean up of Coonabarbran must be wearing protective clothing.
With the number of new mesothelioma cases expected to rise within the next decade, these precautions are extremely important to try and reduce the incidence of mesothelioma in Australia and the incidence of mesothelioma in NSW.
