MEP calls for EU parliament shutdown over asbestos presence

Cypriot MEP Marios Matsakis has demanded that the parliament buildings in Strasbourg be immediately closed down and decontaminated of asbestos.

In a letter to the assembly’s secretary general, and copied to parliament president Hans Gert Pöttering, the mayor of Strasbourg and MEPs on Thursday, Matsakis, a trained pathologist, said that in his opinion the buildings must be swiftly closed down, decontaminated of asbestos and not reused until given the all-clear by experts.

Matsakis said he was “disturbed to learn” that a November 2007 interim survey report commissioned by parliament’s secretary General Harald Rømer revealed a more widespread presence of asbestos in the Strasbourg buildings than originally suggested when the buildings were purchased in 2006.

“I am most disturbed to learn …that the interim report of 21 November has confirmed a more widespread presence of asbestos…when compared to the certificates which had been provided to us at the time of purchase of these buildings,” says Matsakis.

“Asbestos causes a particular type of very aggressive lung cancer called mesothelioma [which is] caused by the inhalation of asbestos fibres. Enough fibres can be inhaled either on a short term or long term basis to cause carcino genesis. On inhalation, these fibres get embedded in lung tissue and remain there permanently.”

“Asbestos fibres can very easily be freed to the environment from technical shafts and pipe sheathing, not just by 'wear and tear' but also by different forms of damage caused, for exapmple, by flooding or by repair work. They are also freed in removal works, no matter how meticulous this might be.

“The removal of asbestos from a building 'piecemeal' and with the building being used by thousands of people in between is highly inappropriate and hazardous in my consideration.

“It is my opinion as a pathologist who has dealt with a number of mesothelioma cases in the past that the parliament building in Strasbourg must cease to be used, sealed and total decontamination carried out as soon as possible.

“Following total and extensive decontamination, the building must be reused only after scrutinous investigation by experts, who are in a position to guarantee the total absence of asbestos fibres in any part of the building.”

However in a 23 November communication from the secretary general, Rømer advised that the interim report “confirms that there is no asbestos in any loose or sprayed form but that where it is to be found, it is, in all cases, confined within sealed sheathing”.

The communication says that “asbestos contained in this way constitutes no risk to health and that there are no specific precautions to be taken, unless, evidently, works were to be carried out on these fixtures or units.”

And Rømer adds that he has “requested that the relevant departments require that TÜV (a specialist asbestos monitoring company) carry out continuous analysis of the air quality so as to be sure that the air is completely free of asbestos fibres. These checks are being carried out in the offices, corridors and passageways.

“The first results of the checks confirmed a total absence of asbestos fibres in the circulating air.”

But Matsakis told theparliament.com that “this is a major health hazard. The Strasbourg buildings should be shutdown as soon as is practicably possible and certainly MEPs should not be returning for the June session.”

The Cypriot deputy said he was extremely unhappy with the way the issue has been handled by parliament’s authorities.

“I’m concerned that the extent [of the asbestos contamination] has not been freely discussed and I’m unhappy with the piecemeal approach to removal.  What about the permanent staff in the buildings?  They should be removed, and people in the surrounding area should be informed.  It’s unbelievable and unacceptable.”

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