Climate protection and health: The dispute over asbestos in the building regulation

Climate protection and health: The dispute over asbestos in the building regulation

On Wednesday, the Federal Cabinet in Berlin will vote on a decisive amendment to the Hazardous Substances Ordinance, which will have far -reaching consequences for the construction industry. The regulation determines who is responsible for checking asbestos when renovating buildings. Felix Pakleppa, chief managing director of the Central Association of German Building Industry, expresses concerns that the planned changes could play the health of the builders against climate protection goals.

The handling of asbestos is particularly delicate, as many buildings that were built before 1993 contain potentially asbestos containing asbestos. The upcoming regulation should actually ensure that builders are more involved in the asbestant exploration in order to prevent possible health risk for workers. The national asbestos dialog, which has been carried out in the past ten years, has recommended that the responsibility for asbread recognition not only transfer the construction company.

regulation for responsibility for building renovations

At the moment, the draft regulation stipulates that builders are only obliged to provide all information about building or usage history with regard to possible hazardous substances. If known information about asbestos is missing, there is no obligation to investigate. From Pakleppa's point of view, this is a serious shortcoming because it endangers the protection of employees and the environment.

Responsibility is thus passed on to the executing companies. Depending on their respective renovation task, these would have to commission an asbestos examination independently. If several different trades work on a project, this means that each company has to carry out its own review. However, such a regulation ensures that projects become more costly and possibly delays, since everyone involved has to wait for separate results.

• The amendment could lead to an increase in the project duration in extreme cases.
• risk that asbestos will not be handled properly, increases.
• building owners could receive more responsibility than necessary by insufficient information.

The department is alerted. Pakleppa points out that the common knowledge developed during the asbestos dialogue is on the brink if the proposals should be implemented in their current form. The Central Association vigorously demands that the cabinet revise the regulation and that builders are more obliged to ensure that asbestos examinations are carried out before orders are assigned to construction companies.

A central point in this debate is the assumption that legal obligations to investigate asbestos could hinder the urgently needed energetic renovations. However, this fear is not very valid, because in the event of suspicion of asbestos, a comprehensive technical examination must be carried out anyway. Pakleppa makes it clear: "If asbestos are found, additional costs for the renovation arise, so it is better to stand up to the problem instead of ignoring them."

A balancing act between climate protection and health protection

In the entire industry, the impending regulation of Hazardous Substances provides frustration and unrest. Such a regulation that minimizes health protection could have negative effects on the work situation of many construction workers in the medium term. Asbestos is not only harmful to health, but also carcinogenic, which is why protection for the employees should be a top priority.

The fact that health protection and climate protection are discussed in the breath illustrates the complexity of the current challenge in the construction industry. In the worst case, the regulation could force reading -capable companies to play out against each other, while something is actually useful, such as occupational safety, are pushed into the background. We are at a crucial point that ultimately influences the quality in construction and the safety of workers.

Ultimately, it is crucial to create a comprehensive and balanced set of rules that protects the health of construction workers and at the same time meet the requirements for climate protection. A dialogue at eye level between builders, companies and politics could be the key to a future solution.

The challenges of asbestos control

The topic around asbestos is not new and has a long history in Germany. Since its identification as harmful to health, Asbesters have triggered many legal and social discussions. In the 1990s, asbestos in many countries, including Germany, was severely restricted in new building materials. Nevertheless, dealing with existing asbestos in older buildings remains a central challenge, especially in the context of renovation work.

The health risks caused by asbestos pollution are well documented. The Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Occupational Medicine indicate that the inhalation of asbestos fibers can lead to serious respiratory diseases and lung cancer. This underlines the urgency to take responsibility measures to protect workers and the public.

regulatory framework and adjustments

The Hazardous Substances Ordinance is part of a variety of legal precautions that should ensure that danger substances are treated correctly and risks are minimized. The requirements include details on the determination and documentation of asbestos in buildings. The existing regulations often require builders to ensure health protection before renovation work can begin.

The new regulation could, however, lead to the responsibility for asbestors' exploration being transferred solely on the construction companies. Felix Pakleppa from the Central Association of German Construction Trade warns that this change could not only increase the costs of renovations, but also leads to uncertainty in the industry, since manufacturers and clients may apply different standards and practices. In the worst case, this could lead to construction work carried out under uncertain conditions.

effect on the construction industry

The construction industry in Germany plays a crucial role in the overall economy and the creation of jobs. Statistics of the Statistical Federal Office show that the construction and expansion in the construction industry reached a volume of over 140 billion euros in 2022. However, a high volume of order also requires a high degree of specialist knowledge and responsibility, especially in dealing with dangerous materials such as asbestos.

The ongoing discussions about the Hazardous Substances Ordinance raise questions about how an inadequate regulation could ultimately affect the industry in the long term. The risk that construction companies will not prepare sufficiently or not carry out orders according to the required safety standards is of great importance. This could lead to the fact that in the end not only the safety of the workers, but also the efficiency of the entire renovation process is endangered.