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New asbestos discovered after a hospital fire in Solomon Islands has sparked a call for a Pacific-wide ban on the toxic substance. The call from the regional environmental body SPREP comes because the Gizo hospital in the Western Solomons had been cleared of old asbestos in a regional study conducted prior to the fire. Local inspectors however identified asbestos materials at the site in the aftermath of the fire on the 22nd of July. This was confirmed by experts from the Pacific Hazardous Waste Management Project (PacWaste) who helped to clear the site. The team identified new building materials used in recent renovations at the hospital as the most likely source of the contamination. PacWaste project manager Stewart Williams told Koroi Hawkins the cost of cleaning up old asbestos in the region is already daunting without more being imported.

Until the old Gizo hospital in Solomon Islands caught fire in July, no-one knew that the building contained asbestos. A hazardous waste watchdog in the Pacific is warning that moves to rid the region of asbestos must be a priority. SPREP's PacWaste project is aiming for an asbestos-free Pacific by conducting an inventory of existing asbestos from so called legacy products that were used in cladding in the 1970s - 90s Stewart Williams, the PacWaste project manager, says it's evident the substance is turning up in new building materials and efforts to rid the region of asbestos are continually set back.

Asbestos is a naturally occurring rock fibre that is harmful to humans. When the products containing asbestos are damaged or wear down over time, small fibres are released and become airborne. Breathing in asbestos fibres can cause a range of diseases including cancer.

PacWaste (Pacific Hazardous Waste) is a four year (2013-2017), €7.85 million, project funded by the European Union and implemented by Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) to improve regional hazardous waste management in 14 Pacific island countries plus Timor Leste, in the priority areas of healthcare waste, asbestos, E-waste and integrated atoll solid waste management. Asbestos-containing wastes and materials are a major issue for many Pacific Island countries with a history of use of asbestos-containing building materials in construction. All forms of asbestos are carcinogenic to humans and inhalation of asbestos fibres that have become airborne can cause serious lung disease or cancer.

PacWaste (Pacific Hazardous Waste) is a four year (2013-2017), €7.85 million, project funded by the European Union and implemented by Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) to improve regional hazardous waste management in 14 Pacific island countries plus Timor Leste, in the priority areas of healthcare waste, asbestos, E-waste and integrated atoll solid waste management. Asbestos-containing wastes and materials are a major issue for many Pacific Island countries with a history of use of asbestos-containing building materials in construction. All forms of asbestos are carcinogenic to humans and inhalation of asbestos fibres that have become airborne can cause serious lung disease or cancer.

PacWaste (Pacific Hazardous Waste) is a four year (2013-2017), €7.85 million, project funded by the European Union and implemented by Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) to improve regional hazardous waste management in 14 Pacific island countries plus Timor Leste, in the priority areas of healthcare waste, asbestos, E-waste and integrated atoll solid waste management. Asbestos-containing wastes and materials are a major issue for many Pacific Island countries with a history of use of asbestos-containing building materials in construction. All forms of asbestos are carcinogenic to humans and inhalation of asbestos fibres that have become airborne can cause serious lung disease or cancer.

PacWaste (Pacific Hazardous Waste) is a four year (2013-2017), €7.85 million, project funded by the European Union and implemented by Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) to improve regional hazardous waste management in 14 Pacific island countries plus Timor Leste, in the priority areas of healthcare waste, asbestos, E-waste and integrated atoll solid waste management. Asbestos-containing wastes and materials are a major issue for many Pacific Island countries with a history of use of asbestos-containing building materials in construction. All forms of asbestos are carcinogenic to humans and inhalation of asbestos fibres that have become airborne can cause serious lung disease or cancer.

PacWaste (Pacific Hazardous Waste) is a four year (2013-2017), €7.85 million, project funded by the European Union and implemented by Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) to improve regional hazardous waste management in 14 Pacific island countries plus Timor Leste, in the priority areas of healthcare waste, asbestos, E-waste and integrated atoll solid waste management. Asbestos-containing wastes and materials are a major issue for many Pacific Island countries with a history of use of asbestos-containing building materials in construction. All forms of asbestos are carcinogenic to humans and inhalation of asbestos fibres that have become airborne can cause serious lung disease or cancer.

PacWaste (Pacific Hazardous Waste) is a four year (2013-2017), €7.85 million, project funded by the European Union and implemented by Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) to improve regional hazardous waste management in 14 Pacific island countries, plus Timor Leste, targetting the priority areas of healthcare waste, asbestos, E-waste and integrated atoll solid waste management. Asbestos-containing wastes and materials are a major issue for many Pacific Island countries with a history of use of asbestos-containing building materials in construction. All forms of asbestos are carcinogenic to humans and inhalation of asbestos fibres that have become airborne can cause serious lung disease or cancer.

This report covers the Republic of Palau (hereafter referred to as Palau) component of a survey of the regional distribution and status of asbestos-contaminated construction material, and best practice options for its management, in selected Pacific island communities.