Defense The most dangerous asbestos infects the Torrejón military air base: "I had not seen anything like it in 10 years. It is dissolved like pollen"
Defense The Air Force will remove asbestos from the Torrejón air base in October
Only 117 workers out of the 154,000 of the Ministry of Defense were examined by external occupational risk prevention services due to exposure to asbestos.
More than 1,200 people live at the Torrejón de Ardoz air base, infected with the most dangerous version of insulation, as confirmed by the Air Force on Wednesday in an exclusive to EL MUNDO.
According to the ministry headed by Margarita Robles, in the last 15 years several medical records have been reviewed in search of anomalies or pathologies related to exposure to asbestos fibers.
The reality is that the control is not exhaustive, at least in the case of the old American base, exposed to the presence of friable asbestos.
The only way to extract it is by fragmenting or breaking it.
The works would disperse the poisonous dust in the environment.
"I have never heard of medical examinations or check-ups
," admits one of the workers.
He has lived on the base for more than 20 years.
He prefers to remain anonymous.
"We've never heard of asbestos either. It was a surprise to see it in the press
. "
Just before the pandemic, worker complaints prompted the ministry to test tap water.
Defense advised against its consumption.
"For three days it had a strange color.
Since then we drink bottled water
."
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The most dangerous asbestos infects the Torrejón military air base: "I had not seen anything like it in 10 years. It is dissolved like pollen"
Drafting: JUAN DIEGO MADUEÑOMadrid
The most dangerous asbestos infects the Torrejón military air base: "I had not seen anything like it in 10 years. It is dissolved like pollen"
"I've been here for eight years and nothing at all. We have never had medical tests related to asbestos.
The protection and prevention protocols are not followed
," adds another source, who also does not want to reveal his identity for fear of reprisals.
Retired in October
Friable asbestos was installed with the construction of the air base in 1953. The versatility of the insulation popularized its use for decades
.
Spain banned the installation of asbestos in 2002 and the European Union has set 2035 as the deadline to eliminate it
.
The insulation has a useful life of about 30 years, so the insulation found in the thermal protection of the air base's pipes could cause problems due to its wear.
The Air Force has verified this Wednesday the existence of the most dangerous variety of asbestos as insulation of thousands of meters of heating pipes and in the warehouses of the air base.
It will proceed to its retirement in the month of October.
The company Amisur, specialized in the removal of asbestos, was commissioned to carry out the first study of the facilities a few weeks ago.
"Asbestos looks like pollen. It's in a very bad state. It's not a safe place
," Diego González, one of the workers who went to the air base, explained to this newspaper.
"It's one of the places I've been scared to work the most."
The state of the pipes is bleak.
"They are eaten away.
The workers and those who come to the air base are not aware of the risk. They are exposed. Asbestos is seen everywhere," said the worker, who has ten years of experience in the sector.
"I had never seen anything like it".
Last June, the procedures for the removal of asbestos began urgently, sources from the Air Force informed Efe.
A withdrawal project was requested, which will finally start after the summer due to compliance with the administration's contracting deadlines.
The Environment Section and the Occupational Risk Prevention Section of the Air Force determined that no work be carried out in the areas near the affected areas.
They have also ordered that no
repair or maintenance work be carried out on the heating pipes as it is the summer season.
Responsibilities
Up to three professional associations of the Armed Forces -AUME, ATME and UMT- went to the Ministry of Defense to ask for
explanations about the discovery and the measures adopted to protect the safety
of the personnel who work there.
They also ask the Defense to reveal if there are more contaminated military bases or Navy ships and if random or periodic medical examinations are being carried out on the personnel stationed there.
"That with all transparency an investigation be ordered and responsibilities be settled in the event that there were any,
since it has been possible to endanger the health of all the military and civilians who usually carry out their work in said air base
, "they demand.
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